Helen Bach column: We were prepared for latest Covid demand

People are now expected to wear face masks in shops, except for a few health exceptions

Face coverings are now compulsory in shops in England.

Yet again, it feels like we are playing ‘catch up’ with Nicola Sturgeon’s Scotland and Angela Merkel’s Germany, and indeed with much of the rest of the world for that matter.

Fortunately, I’d planned ahead and made the wise decision to purchase some fabric face coverings after my attempts to make my own failed rather miserably.

I needed to have face masks I was happy with and that are comfortable to wear, and didn’t make me look like a potential bank robber.

Luckily, my daughter had spotted an article on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ about them, and John Lewis was stocking a range made in the UK, created by British designers, with profits going to charity, so we headed there when we were finally released from lockdown.

We asked a lady on the cosmetics counter where we could find face masks, and this caused momentary confusion as she thought we meant the cosmetic kind, rather than the health variety.

On reflection, maybe my complexion looked like it needed some assistance, but this didn’t even occur to me at the time.

These fabric masks weren’t cheap – £15 for three – but so far so good. They are fully adjustable, cover from the bridge of the nose to under the chin, are quite comfortable to wear, come in a range of designs and colours, and are machine washable.

They even have a fabric pouch so you can keep a spare one clean and ready for change over when necessary.

I’ll be honest with you, it’s at times like these that I wish I was handy with a sewing machine, and had a stock of elastic, so I could run up numerous washable, fabric face coverings from the materials in my ‘rag bag’.

Although, I think husband and daughter might quite rightly draw the line at wearing face coverings I’d hand crafted them from old vests and underpants.

A big ‘thank you’ to the wonderful local volunteers at Scrubs Up For Northants, who I hear are selling a range costing from just £2.75 each.

My next batch will be purchased from you.