Dr Hilary Jones has sent out a warning that younger children can ‘spread Covid-19 more’ by wearing face masks.
The Good Morning Britain doctor explained that this is all down to the way in which youngsters use them.
This comes following the government’s announcement on Tuesday which stated that face coverings were now mandatory for pupils walking in school corridors.
Speaking to hosts Adil Ray and Ranvir Singh, Dr Hilary explained that despite this, it is perhaps a good idea making mask wearing mandatory in corridors, reasoning that it will 'give reassurance to parents and staff' as it is harder to socially distance in these areas.
"There is some evidence that younger children actually could spread the virus more by wearing masks, because of the way they use masks,” he explained.
"So I think we need to get away from the concrete thinking, there is no right or wrong, nobody really knows the level of protection that wearing a face covering alone is going to make.
"But it does make sense, I think, on the balance of what we know, for those corridors and communal areas - particularly in areas of local lockdown - to make it mandatory, and in other areas to leave it to the headteacher and the unions who advise on those schools to make those decisions themselves.
"That gives flexibility and leeway and hopefully reassurance to parents and staff."
He explained why it is believed that communal places like corridors are seen as being unsafe.
"I think people have become very concrete in their thinking, so corridors and communal areas are now being considered more risky than classrooms," he said.
"Why? The doors are open between a corridor and a classroom, there is no cut off, the air circulates and mixes, droplets will move.
"It is sensible to say that if you cannot socially distance as you can in a classroom and take other measures in a classroom, in those communal areas where the children find it more difficult to socially distance, it makes sense to take the precaution of wearing a face covering.
"We don't know what level of protection that offers, but the consensus is that it's going to offer some protection for age groups 12 years of age and above.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
