A commuter pulls a mask up over their face and steps on to a busy bus. It is a ritual that has become almost automatic over the last two years.
But ever since the government made face masks optional back in July, the number of people wearing them on a day-to-day basis has dwindled.
While some have remained cautious and continued to wear them with pride, others had started to believe face coverings were a thing of the past. READ MORE: Team GB Olympic star's heartbreak after tragic death of brother in industrial accident Yet the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant has forced Prime Minister Boris Johnson to once again make masks mandatory in shops and on public transport.
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