The advice on pupils wearing masks in schools in Wales has changed.
Harms associated with using masks in schools, including their effect on learning, may outweigh the benefits, scientists advising the Welsh Government warned in updated advice.
Local prevalence of coronavirus should be taken into consideration when making rules on wearing them in schools, the Technical Advisory Group added. Local risk assessments in schools should be carried out before the end of term, the scientists said.
Read more: Coronavirus infection rates for all parts of Wales on Monday, June 21
First Minister Mark Drakeford promised last week to try to find a way to end masks in schools. Some parents have complained children find it hard to wear them all day. You can read more about that here.
“Before the end of the current academic year 2020-2021, and in preparation for September 2021, there should be an assessment of the actual risks at the local level of removing face coverings in favour of other methods for risk management and control,” the group’s updated report says.
More data and research is also needed into the need to balance Covid infection control and effective education for school and college students under 18.
“In situations of low community prevalence, the harms associated with the use of face coverings may well outweigh the overall benefits.
“These harms may include a false sense of security impacting compliance with other infection control measures, reduced communication between teacher and student interfering with pedagogy and resulting in diminished learning outcomes, to respiratory or epidermal discomfort.
“We should therefore consider steps towards a localised and risk based, co-produced approach to the use of non pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as face coverings; looking to balance the harms associated with prolonged use in classrooms, against the perceived benefits of protecting from virus transmission.”
Last November the Welsh Government asked secondary age children and staff in primaries to wear masks in communal areas of schools, when they can’t socially distance, when schools re-opened after the firebreak lockdown.
That was extended last term to asking secondary pupils to also wear them in classrooms during lessons when they can’t socially distance.
Some parents and young people have complained it is hard to learn and hard to wear masks for such long periods. Children can claim medical exemptions and not wear masks.
teachers have also raised concerns and the Children’s Commissioner has said masks should not be required for a day longer than necessary.
Eastern High in Cardiff has never required its pupils to wear masks saying as a new, well ventilated building, the risk of covid spread is minimal.
