A scientist involved in advising the Government has said there is little point in primary school children wearing face masks.
Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4: “Primary school children are the lowest risk both to themselves and to society.
“There is really good data coming out … that shows that children are half as likely to acquire the virus to a third as likely to acquire the virus.
“When it comes to transmitting they are probably half as likely to transmit it as adults. That risk actually gets smaller as you go into younger age groups. I am not a great fan of young children wearing face masks.
“If I had to invest in a single activity to improve the environment both for the children and the adults, I’d be looking at improving the ventilation, unsealing windows that have been painted shut and kept shut for energy-saving reasons.
“That would be a much more effective way to reduce transmission in schools.”
