(CNN)Refusing to wear a face mask during the Covid-19 pandemic should be as socially unacceptable as drunk-driving, or driving without using a seat belt, the president of the UK's Royal Society said Tuesday.
Venki Ramakrishnan called for everyone to wear a face covering in public -- particularly in enclosed public spaces -- pointing to new evidence suggesting that coverings may protect both the wearer and those around them.
Ramakrishnan said that people in the UK were "skeptical" about the benefits of using face coverings, and noted that the country was "way behind" other countries when it came to using face coverings, with inconsistent guidance and policies.