People in Wales are not being advised to wear face masks when they go outside.

In a statement this afternoon (Tuesday) the chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, said that wearing face masks whenever you leave home should be a matter of personal choice, and that they would not be introducing compulsory wearing of masks.

Dr Atherton said: “This is a complicated issue and I want to explain the advantages and disadvantages to help you decide.

"There are differences between the clinical-grade PPE worn by health and social care staff and other forms of protection available for the general public.

"Coronavirus has put pressure on supplies of PPE worldwide and we need to ensure we have enough PPE to protect health and social care workers and people who are ill.

"So what do we know about the use of non-clinical face coverings for the general public? The evidence from SAGE shows a small, but marginally positive effect on reducing the risk of a coronavirus infection in others.

"We know that you could be infectious even if you don’t have symptoms – so could people around you. When someone with the virus coughs or breathes, the infection travels through the air in droplets and lands on surfaces. If you’re wearing a cloth face covering over your mouth and nose some of the droplets will be stopped by that mask.

"There is also evidence that infection can be transmitted when you touch your nose or mouth and then touch a surface. We touch our faces a lot throughout the day – a face covering or mask could help you stop doing that.

"We think the greatest risk of infection occurs indoors. If you are travelling on public transport, you may not be able to maintain the 2m social distancing for the whole journey – in these circumstances, a face covering might be useful.

"But, I have concerns about three harms, which could come about if I recommended face coverings for public use in Wales.

"The first is in relation to stocks of clinical masks for frontline caregivers. We don’t know if there will be enough masks in the UK, let alone in Wales, if the public and employers are trying to buy clinical grade masks at the same time as the NHS.

"The second harm is from an increase in risky behaviours. Anyone with symptoms of a respiratory infection should be staying at home and it would not be acceptable for them to use a face covering in order to go shopping or to work.

"The final harm is discrimination. Not everyone can buy a mask or make one.

"As chief medical officer for Wales, I am not recommending everyone wears a non-clinical face covering in Wales – I am not recommending they are compulsory. However, I support the public’s right to choose whether to wear them.

"Our advice remains to stay at home, to protect the NHS and save lives.

"If you are leaving your home to work, shop or exercise, you should take all possible measures to stay safe and protect yourself, including maintaining social distancing, washing your hands regularly and not touching your face."