TfL launches 'baby-on-board' style exemption cards for people who are unable to wear face masks

You're not allowed on London transport without a mask or some other kind of face covering anymore, because of – you know – that human-killing virus going around. But people like to be shitty to one another, so Transport for London is launchingexemption cards for people who can't wear a mask.

Much like the free 'please offer me a seat' badge and card TfL already offers for people who are pregnant or have conditions that make it hard to stand, the new card says "I am exempt from wearing a face covering" with TfL and Mayor of London branding.

It's free to download from the TfL site (scroll down), but it's basically just a rectangular image, which isn't the easiest thing to display while you're out. It's definitely not as simple as attaching a badge, and you're going to need a printer if you want people to be able to see it without you holding up your phone to show them.

We'd probably print it credit-card size and put it in one of these(bonus points if you can reuse one from a conference. You knew you kept those for a reason!).

People exempt from the face-covering rule are:

• Children under the age of 11
• Employees of, or persons providing agreed services to, TfL
• Police constables (including British Transport Police) officers acting in the course of their duty
• Members or employees of the emergency services responding to an emergency

And the new card extends that to the following situations:

• Where a person cannot put on, wear, or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010), or without severe distress
• Where a person is providing a lip-reading service to a person they are travelling with
• Where a person removes their face covering to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to themselves or others
• Where a person is travelling to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and does not have a face covering with them
• If it is reasonably necessary for a person to eat and drink, and the person removes their face covering to eat or drink
• Where a person is required to remove the face covering by a police constable (including a British Transport Police officer) or another authorised person

Issues that might cause people not to be able to wear a mask include asthma and PTSD, and the card thankfully doesn't go into any details or give a space for a reason, because no one has a right to ask intrusive health questions.

There are also free face masks being given out at some stations, and there's an online guide to how to make one at home.

Staynton Brown, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Talent for TfL, said:

"TfL staff and policing partners have been fully briefed on the exemptions, and to support customers and to make it easier for staff and the police to know who should and shouldn’t wear a face covering, we have introduced a new exemption card that customers will be able to download and carry with them or display on their mobile phone.

This will provide reassurance to a number of different groups, including those with some conditions, who might have difficulties wearing face coverings.

We’d like to remind customers to treat everyone on the transport network with respect and compassion, and to understand that some customers and staff will be unable to wear a face covering for medical reasons that may not be immediately obvious."

Hear that, humans? Be nice. 

{Gizmodo}

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT: 
We heard yesterday from Grant Davis, Chairman of the LCDC, that the trade representatives had been informed that all drivers would be expected to wear face masks unless they had a medical exemption.

PCOs will be out in force on the ranks, and any driver not wearing a mask, will be reported to TfLTPH.
TfL said they won’t go as far as putting an immediate stop on the driver working (mainly because it’s not covered by the act), but errant drivers would relieve a letter from TfLTPH in due course.