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The UK and Scottish Government guidance around masks and face-coverings was slow to evolve, and so is guidance on body temperature assessment. Scientists still argue about where and how people should wear masks. Now even their biggest initial opponents accept that masks are part of the solution.

Many of us sensed this at the very beginning of the pandemic, and it turns out to be quite hard for scientists and governments to act on common sense which later becomes quite apparent.

There are traditionally two approaches to the development of guidelines for public health and Medicine.

1. Evidence-based Medicine, where changes are only made based on substantial evidence using rigorous experimental evidence including randomised controlled trials
2. Precautionary approach, where we take simple, sensible steps in the absence of rigorous experimental evidence and then monitor and modify advice regularly.

In non-pandemic conditions, the Evidence-based approach is the best because it...