Uk- New Covid rules: Face masks ‘strongly advised’ for secondary schools in England, says Government
Uk/November 29, 2021/By Emily Ferguson/Source: https://inews.co.uk/
l pupils in years 7 and above will have to wear a face mask in communal areas, the Department for Education has said.
Face masks are to be made mandatory in schools and colleges in England for pupils in years 7 and above, the Department for Education has said.
Under the new guidance, all staff, visitors and pupils are “strongly advised” to wear a covering, unless exempt.
The measure, which applies from Monday, covers all education establishments including universities, as well as childcare settings such as early years care.
The guidance is temporary and will be reviewed in three weeks.
The fresh restrictions come after the Prime Minister announced new rules on face coverings for shops and public transport yesterday, following the detection of the new Omicron Covid variant.
This morning Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the new rules on face masks will come into force from Tuesday.
What do we know about the Omicron variant so far?
- The variant, first reported on by i, was identified earlier this week, and is called the ‘Omicron Variant’.
- It has an unusually high number of mutations, and scientists believe that some of those mutations are likely to increase transmissibility and vaccine resistance.
- Face masks will be required in shops and on public transport across England from Tuesday, and in communal areas in secondary schools.
- The Prime Minister said he would also seek to speed up the booster jab programme, asking for approval to expand it to under-40s, and lowering the time between jabs.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “The news of a new variant – the so-called Omicron variant – will have understandably caused concern for people across our country, including our teachers, wider education and childcare staff, parents, pupils and students.
“We are already taking targeted and proportionate action as a precaution while we find out more information about the new variant.
“As we do so, we will continue to prioritise children’s and young people’s education and wellbeing, making sure education and childcare settings are as safe as possible and children continue to benefit from classroom teaching.
“We are working with education and childcare settings to enhance safety measures where needed, including introducing isolation for 10 days for close contacts of suspected Omicron cases.
“I’d like to thank everyone working to support our children and young people for their patience and hard work.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it supports the measures “as a sensible response to the risks posed by the Omicron variant of Covid-19”.
But he added: “This worrying situation, however, emphasises the need for better support from the Government for the education sector.”
The new variant is feared to be more transmissible, cause more severe disease and make vaccines less effective – but this has yet to be confirmed by scientists.
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