Pupils: Coronavirus

(asked on 1st March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking in response to the World Health Organisation's guidance on the requirement for children to wear face masks in schools.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 10th March 2021

On 21 August 2020, the World Health Organisation published a statement advising that children aged 12 and over should wear a face covering “under the same conditions as adults, in particular when they cannot guarantee at least a 1-metre distance from others and there is widespread transmission in the area.” Therefore, since September 2020, face coverings have been included as an element of the system of controls that schools are putting in place to reduce risk.

The Department has recently published updated guidance to support the full opening to education from 8 March 2021, which includes updated advice on face coverings which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/964351/Schools_coronavirus_operational_guidance.pdf.

The Department has also published its evidence summary, ‘COVID-19 – children, young people and education settings’, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963639/DfE_Evidence_summary_COVID-19_-_children__young_people_and_education_settings.pdf.

As the guidance outlines, where pupils in Year 7 and above are educated, the Department recommends that face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained.

In addition, from 8 March 2021, the Department now also recommends that in schools where pupils in Year 7 and above are educated, face coverings should be worn in classrooms unless social distancing can be maintained.

In primary schools, the Department recommends that face coverings should be worn by staff and adult visitors in situations where social distancing between adults is not possible (for example, when moving around in corridors and communal areas). Children in primary school do not need to wear a face covering.

The Department is recommending these additional precautionary measures for a limited period until Easter. As with all measures, the Department will keep this under review and update guidance as necessary.

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