Community leaders have revealed that they plan to continue wearing face masks in indoor public spaces when rules are relaxed next week.

From Monday (July 19) it will no longer be a legal requirement to wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces, such as shops, community centres and places of worship, as part of restrictions brought in last year to control the spread of Covid-19.

Coverings over the nose and mouth can help to reduce the spread of the virus in droplets caused by sneezing, coughing or speaking.

While the law requiring face coverings in enclosed public places has been in place police have had had enforcement powers, including the ability to issue fines, to those who do not comply and are not exempt from the rules.

Some public transport operators are set to continue asking passengers to wear a face covering unless they are exempt – and businesses will be able to set their own rules for customers from Monday.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked politicians, community leaders and doctors across Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire if they planned to continue wearing a face covering in public places after Monday.

Abi Brown, leader of Stoke on Trent City Council, plans to wear a mask in crowded areas and on public transport.

She said: ""Moving forward it would depend on the individual circumstances around it. Certainly over the last 12 to 18 months there have been fewer environments where it has been crowded and we will have to see what happens moving forward around that in terms of how busy places return to."

Jack Brereton, MP for Stoke on Trent South, said: "I will be following the recommendation made by the Government. I intend to wear a face mask in busy indoor areas and on public transport where necessary.

"We must not forget that the pandemic is not over and when restrictions are lifted it is important that we still make an effort to protect both others and ourselves. It is fantastic that we can now fully lift restrictions, which is thanks to everyone's efforts and the incredible world leading success of our vaccination programme which has now seen more than two thirds of UK adults receiving both jabs.

"I would strongly encourage anyone who is yet to get their jab to book an appointment and also make sure you get your second jab to give the highest possible protection."

Dr Chandra Kanneganti, the current Lord Mayor of Stoke on Trent City Council and a GP, welcomes recent guidance to continue wearing face masks in healthcare settings.

"It's about protecting myself and my patients at the surgery", he added. "I will be wearing my mask while in practice and at meetings I attend as Lord Mayor.

"I think it is important we continue even if you have been vaccinated. We're already used to it.

"Covid-19 cases are going up and we can see clear evidence of it in countries where rules have been relaxed already, such as Israel and South Korea. There are children being affected by long Covid."

Silverdale GP Dr Paul Scott, chair of North Staffordshire Local Medical Committee, said: "When you're working in practice and meeting with patients face to face you are going to wear a mask. I feel the wearing of masks remains appropriate in healthcare settings.

"Outdoors, your risks are very low. But it comes down to the calculations and there is a judgement to be made – if there are only a few people in any one space it is a pretty low risk. If you have a high concentration of people and you are with them for a long time the risks go up.

"There will be people who were shielding and people who are on immunity-affecting medications who are at high risk and I can imagine many of them will want to keep wearing masks to protect themselves as a precaution.

"I think I will be making a judgement on how busy it is – if I'm sitting in a café and there are only three or four other people at tables I'm not wearing a mask. If I am in a really busy place, that's when I might think about wearing a mask."

Mark Deaville, a Staffordshire County Councillor and landlord of The Anchor Inn in Tean, hopes residents will continue being considerate to one another when rules are relaxed.

He said: "I'm a strong supporter of people doing the right thing and taking their own personal responsibility. My personal feeling is very hopeful it will probably continue. By and large people are very responsible and look after each other.

"I will be wearing a mask when I go in a supermarket and when I'm on public transport out of courtesy and respect for other people

"My customers have been superb and respected each other. They have enjoyed the fact they can come back into the pub and they have all been very careful, even during busy times during Euro 2020."

Leek councillor Charlotte Atkins, who leads Staffordshire County Council's opposition group, plans to continue wearing a mask in enclosed public spaces.

She said: "I sit on the Covid-19 board in Staffordshire and at our last meeting people were asking what people felt the relaxation. My comment was one person freed is another person trapped, in the sense that we wear masks not so much to protect ourselves but other people.

"I will certainly carry on wearing a mask in crowded indoor places but I don't intend to wear them outside.

"One of the problems is some people don't have a choice if they are working in a shop or on public transport. They don't have the choice not to be with people who are not wearing masks as it is part of their job and they have to carry on.

"We have to protect people who don't have the choice or who are mask-exempt because of breathing difficulties."

Jill Hood, who represents Stone as a county, borough and town councillor, said: "Yes I definitely will continue wearing a face mask. It really concerns me when I see the case numbers in the county.

"I will be wearing a mask in crowded places for the safety of people around me and those who are vulnerable. If I go on public transport I will be wearing a mask.

"I volunteer for the Stone helpline and go into elderly people's houses. I'm going to make sure I'm safe and they're safe.

"It's really important how we manage this, otherwise how are we going to get rid of Covid-19?"