Secondary pupils will no longer have to wear masks in classrooms, the Prime Minister has announced. The move will come into place from tomorrow, Thursday, he told the Commons this afternoon.
Students and staff have been wearing the face coverings in class since returning from the Christmas break, with many also asked to wear them in the run up to the holidays amid rising case rates. Read more: Parents blast school for not letting pupils attend without proof of negative Covid test But now they are being scrapped altogether and will soon not be required in communal areas either.
The PM told the Commons: “Having looked at the data carefully, the Cabinet concluded that once regulations lapse the Government will no longer mandate the wearing of face masks anywhere. “From tomorrow, we will no longer require face masks in classrooms and the Department for Education will shortly remove national guidance on their use in communal areas. “In the country at large we will continue to suggest the use of face coverings in enclosed or crowded spaces, particularly when you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet – but we will trust the judgement of the British people and no longer criminalise anyone who chooses not to wear one.” The announcement is likely to be a controversial one, with parents and teachers somewhat divided on whether they think the masks are necessary.
And with the ongoing disruption from pupils testing positive amid the new variant, some will be asking whether it's the right move to help keep infection rates under control.
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