A KEIGHLEY councillor and doctor has voiced concerns that mask wearing has been abandoned by many as a means of guarding against Covid-19.

Keighley West councillor Paul Godwin was speaking during a meeting of Bradford Council's health and social care scrutiny committee, which heard that the spread of the virus was now worse in more affluent areas of the district – although the reasons are unclear.

At the start of the pandemic, the highest rates of Covid-19 infection were found in some of the poorest inner-city areas of Bradford.

But public health officials told the meeting that it was now the less populous, more affluent areas of the district where infection rates were greatest.

Providing an update on the situation in the Bradford district, consultants said although infection rates were still high, the vaccination programme had helped keep hospitalisations and deaths lower than at the peak of the pandemic.

Caroline Tomes, consultant in public health for Bradford, said: "In the first six months of the pandemic, infections were most widespread in the less affluent areas of the district.

"Recently we've noticed it is the more affluent areas that have the highest levels. We're not sure why this is the case, but it is a pattern that has also been seen across the country."

Councillor Godwin said mask wearing had proved an effective way of stopping the spread, but had now been abandoned by many.

He added: "One of the current hotspots in Bradford district is Oakworth, but the other day I went into a shop and I was the only person wearing a mask.

"Infections are higher than they have ever been in Oakworth, and no one seemed to be aware of that. I think that is a dismal failure of public health. Once it was found that masks worked they should have been kept, but now no one seems to have a clue what to do about Covid because of the changing policies."

Mrs Tomes said local public health officials often only found out what the next national Covid policies would be through the news.

She added: "We're trying to help people make the best decisions.

"The drop-off was surprisingly quick from the time everyone was wearing face coverings to them no longer being required. If the situation changes it might be quite challenging to bring mask wearing back, but we'll continue to inform people the best we can."

* The Prime Minister announced this afternoon that wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport will be required in response to the Omicron coronavirus variant. More details are to follow.