Varadkar: Return of mandatory mask wearing not necessary

Leo Varadkar said mandatory mask-earning is not needed now, but their use should be encouraged in healthcare settings and on public transport. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

A return to mandatory mask-wearing is not necessary at this time despite the summer wave of Covid-19, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said.

This comes as the HSE winds down the contact tracing process even though nursing homes say they are concerned about the rising number of cases.