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A professional signer has exposed a loophole in the new face mask rules introduced under plan B curbs by singing while she shops so that she doesn't have to cover up her nose and mouth.

The Prime Minister's spokesman yesterday said when discussing the new rules that an exemption for singing, intended for people in choirs or places of worship, may also apply in the aisles of a supermarket.

Face coverings must now be worn in more settings including cinemas, theatres and churches as measures are tightened in England in a bid to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.  

But footage shows a maskless Louise Grayford, who works for the Street Theatre Company, buying cheese and wine while carolling along to a rendition of 'Ding dong merrily on high' in the dairy aisle of a Waitrose branch.

In lyrics poking fun at an alleged Christmas party at Downing Street last year, she sings: 'Once in royal Boris' city, stood a lowly Downing Street, where a mother laid her baby, Covid rules were not applied.'

She later sings: 'Christmas time, buying cheese and wine, no mask but singing's keeping me in line.' 

The video, filmed by LBC, follows officials appearing to say that under new rules shoppers could be allowed to remove their face coverings in supermarkets if they walked around the store singing. 

The Prime Minister also said: 'There will of course be exemptions where it is not practical, such as when eating, drinking, exercising or singing.'

But Downing Street today played down the chances of the unmasked singer loophole succeeding, saying the exemption only really applied if it is 'reasonably necessary' to sing. 

The regulations state that such occasions 'include singing as part of a choir, or during a service or rehearsal, or for performance'.

Downing Street has said it would be 'hard to justify' people having a 'reasonable excuse' to remove their masks to sing while getting groceries under the new rules. 

Meanwhile, some Britons have been spotted appearing to ignore the new measures completely by going maskless inside a shopping centre in Manchester, while others stuck to the rule in theatres and cinemas.

Footage shows a maskless Louise Grayford (pictured above), who works for the Street Theatre Company, buying cheese and wine while carolling along to a rendition of 'Ding dong merrily on high' inside a Waitrose branch

In lyrics poking fun at an alleged Christmas party at Downing Street last year, she sings: 'Once in royal Boris' city, stood a lowly Downing Street, where a mother laid her baby, Covid rules were not applied'

From Friday, in England the legal requirement to wear masks has been extended to more indoor spaces including museums, galleries and community centres.

Sports stadia are also included in regulations published on Thursday evening, but the Department of Health confirmed face coverings will only be mandatory in indoor areas.

Tougher restrictions have been branded a 'necessary evil' by a scientist advising the Government, who said the new approach 'absolutely is not an overreaction'. 

It comes as Nicola Sturgeon announces entire families in Scotland will have to self-isolate for 10 days if one household member tests positive for coronavirus and warns the nation is facing a 'tsunami' of Omicron cases.

The Scottish First Minister said that as of tomorrow 'all household contacts of any confirmed Covid case should isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status and even if they initially get a negative PCR test'.

Ms Sturgeon said she knew this would not be 'easy' and that there will be 'careful exemptions for critical services'.

She also sings: 'Christmas time, buying cheese and wine, no mask but singing's keeping me in line.' The video follows officials appearing to say that shoppers could be allowed to remove their masks in supermarkets if they walked around singing

Ms Grayford seen picking up some cheese from the dairy aisle during the video. From Friday, in England the legal requirement to wear masks has been extended to more indoor spaces including museums, galleries and community centres

The Waitrose store in London where a maskless Ms Grayford walked around singing. Downing Street has since updated the regulations to state that someone may take a mask off if it is 'reasonably necessary' to sing

Omicron currently makes up 13.3 per cent of Covid cases already in Scotland, which has become a hotspot for the super-strain along with London, but it's doubling every two days. 

Scotland today reported 5,018 positive Covid tests, which is the highest number in three months and double the number a week ago. 

And the UK Government is already considering a tougher 'Plan C' to tackle Omicron which could see care homes slapped with fresh restrictions in the run up to Christmas and masks made compulsory in pubs and restaurants.

Controversial vaccine passports could also be extended to more venues as part of the contingency measures being floated within Downing Street if the Omicron super variant proves to be as dangerous as scientists fear.

Michael Gove is due to hold a COBRA meeting today with the first ministers of the devolved administrations to discuss the latest Covid data and the UK response. 

Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph cites an anonymous Government source as saying it is 'very likely' visitors in social care settings will be limited to only three designated visitors as part of plans being considered by ministers.

Health chiefs today recorded another 448 cases of Omicron, taking the official toll to 1,265. 

The true toll will be much higher because not every sample is rigorously analysed in a lab.  

Statistics also showed cases in the UK have risen by 15 per cent in a week to 58,194 - making it the highest daily toll since January, when Britain was being battered by the Alpha variant but had yet to dish out any vaccines.

Hospitalisations crept up by six per cent on last week but deaths fell by around 16 per cent over the same time-frame. 

Both measures are just a fraction of the level seen during previous waves because of the success of jabs but will rise over the coming weeks because of a delay between getting infected and becoming seriously ill. 

Professor John Edmunds, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said cases of the variant will keep rising.

On restrictions, he told a Royal Society of Medicine briefing: 'I think it's a necessary evil ... it's very damaging for parts of the economy, the hospitality sector, retail sector in particular - they're going to be affected.

'Unfortunately, we have to do it. The rate at which this virus is spreading is doubling every two or three days.'

He added: 'Even though there's very few cases here now, and it seems like an overreaction, it absolutely is not an overreaction.'

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has warned that the number of UK Omicron infections could hit one million by the end of the month.

He has insisted the new measures are necessary to 'build our collective defences' through the vaccination programme in the face of the rapidly-spreading variant.

Meanwhile, some shoppers have been spotted appearing to ignore the new measures completely by going maskless inside a crowded Arndale shopping centre in Manchester

Most shoppers are seen wearing masks while a couple are without in Manchester's Arndale shopping centre. There were a total of 817 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in the UK as of Thursday, the UK Health Security Agency said

Shoppers in a crowded Arndale shopping centre are seen without face coverings in Manchester City Centre this morning. Professor John Edmunds, a member of the Sage, has said cases of the variant will keep rising

Some shoppers seen without face masks inside a shopping centre today. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has warned that the number of UK Omicron infections could hit one million by the end of the month

Theatregoers wear masks, some not covering their nose and mouth, while attending the Snow White pantomime at the Sunderland Empire this afternoon on the day it became compulsory to wear face coverings in theatres and cinema

Theatregoers wear masks while attending the Snow White pantomime as new Plan B measures came into effect today

Ministers have faced criticism for introducing tougher measures, with anger in the Conservative party fuelled by suspicions the new restrictions were introduced as an attempt to distract from the Prime Minister's troubles over an alleged staff party in Downing Street during last December's lockdown.

Friday's measures come ahead of a return to working from home on Monday and mandatory Covid passports for large venues from Wednesday, as the Government's Plan B comes into force.

The new regulations will be put to a debate and vote in the Commons next week - and with Labour's support they are certain to be approved, despite the prospect of a large Conservative revolt.

Masks do not need to be worn in hospitality settings such as pubs and restaurants, or in gyms or nightclubs.

The Plan B measures will be reviewed on January 5, before their expiry date of January 26.