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| Coronavirus: Scottish high schools to introduce new face covering rules | Coronavirus: Scottish high schools to introduce new face covering rules |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The use of face coverings in corridors and communal areas of secondary schools is set to be introduced in Scotland. | The use of face coverings in corridors and communal areas of secondary schools is set to be introduced in Scotland. |
| The government is in the "final stages" of consultations with teachers and councils about having pupils wear face coverings while moving between classes. | The government is in the "final stages" of consultations with teachers and councils about having pupils wear face coverings while moving between classes. |
| First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was acting in response to new guidance from the World Health Organization. | First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was acting in response to new guidance from the World Health Organization. |
| Ministers are also considering whether to make masks mandatory on school transport - but not inside classrooms. | Ministers are also considering whether to make masks mandatory on school transport - but not inside classrooms. |
| The use of face coverings in schools is currently voluntary, although some schools have started advising staff and pupils to wear them to help combat the spread of Covid-19. | The use of face coverings in schools is currently voluntary, although some schools have started advising staff and pupils to wear them to help combat the spread of Covid-19. |
| Young people returned to Scotland's schools earlier in August with no requirements for physical distancing between younger pupils, and no rules around face coverings. | Young people returned to Scotland's schools earlier in August with no requirements for physical distancing between younger pupils, and no rules around face coverings. |
| However, over the weekend the World Health Organization (WHO) issued fresh guidance saying children over the age of 12 should wear masks. | However, over the weekend the World Health Organization (WHO) issued fresh guidance saying children over the age of 12 should wear masks. |
| At her daily coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said Education Secretary John Swinney was "in the final stages of consulting teachers and local authorities on a recommendation for the use of face coverings by staff and pupils in secondary schools when moving around corridors and communal areas". | |
| She said there was more mixing between different groups of children in these areas, and that there was less scope for effective ventilation. | She said there was more mixing between different groups of children in these areas, and that there was less scope for effective ventilation. |
| People are also thought to be more likely to raise their voices in crowded places, increasing the risk of aerosol transmission of the virus. | |
| Ms Sturgeon said the government's scientific advisers were also considering whether face coverings should be made mandatory on school transport. | Ms Sturgeon said the government's scientific advisers were also considering whether face coverings should be made mandatory on school transport. |
| However, she said they were "not currently consulting on any proposal" to have pupils wear masks in class, saying: "There is greater scope for physical distancing in classrooms and face coverings are more likely to interfere with teaching and learning." | |
| She added: "The best way to ensure schools can stay open safely is for all of us to play our part in keeping transmission rates in the community as low as possible." | She added: "The best way to ensure schools can stay open safely is for all of us to play our part in keeping transmission rates in the community as low as possible." |
| Some schools in Edinburgh, Inverness and Grantown on Spey have written to parents recommending pupils wear masks due to concerns about overcrowding as they move between lessons. | Some schools in Edinburgh, Inverness and Grantown on Spey have written to parents recommending pupils wear masks due to concerns about overcrowding as they move between lessons. |
| The first minister said she expected the Scotland-wide move would be confirmed "over the next couple of days", and would constitute a change to guidance which schools would be expected to follow. | |
| She said: "We are not talking about a mandatory system in the sense of there being penalties and enforcement in schools. I get the sense that schools - while I accept there will be a mixture of opinion around it - are themselves looking to follow this kind of approach. | She said: "We are not talking about a mandatory system in the sense of there being penalties and enforcement in schools. I get the sense that schools - while I accept there will be a mixture of opinion around it - are themselves looking to follow this kind of approach. |
| "We will set out the detail when we get to the point of finalising the recommendation." | "We will set out the detail when we get to the point of finalising the recommendation." |
| Under the existing guidance no-one is required to wear face coverings in school, apart from staff who have close personal contact with a pupil for an extended period of time. However, anyone who wants to wear one is allowed to do so. | Under the existing guidance no-one is required to wear face coverings in school, apart from staff who have close personal contact with a pupil for an extended period of time. However, anyone who wants to wear one is allowed to do so. |
| Teacher survey | Teacher survey |
| A recent survey of nearly 30,000 teachers by the EIS teaching union found 41% supported the mandatory wearing of face coverings by senior pupils in classrooms. | A recent survey of nearly 30,000 teachers by the EIS teaching union found 41% supported the mandatory wearing of face coverings by senior pupils in classrooms. |
| However, one parents group - Us For Them Scotland - claimed making masks mandatory "could have an extremely negative impact on pupils with autism, hearing impairments and conditions such as asthma". | However, one parents group - Us For Them Scotland - claimed making masks mandatory "could have an extremely negative impact on pupils with autism, hearing impairments and conditions such as asthma". |
| Health authorities are working to tackle a number of coronavirus "clusters" in Scotland, including one centred on the Kingspark School in Dundee. | Health authorities are working to tackle a number of coronavirus "clusters" in Scotland, including one centred on the Kingspark School in Dundee. |
| A total of 17 members of staff have tested positive, as well as two pupils, and all households connected to the school have been told to go into self-isolation for two weeks. | A total of 17 members of staff have tested positive, as well as two pupils, and all households connected to the school have been told to go into self-isolation for two weeks. |
| A growing number of school pupils across Scotland have tested positive for Covid-19, but the government believes the infection has been transmitted in other settings such as house parties. | A growing number of school pupils across Scotland have tested positive for Covid-19, but the government believes the infection has been transmitted in other settings such as house parties. |
| Ms Sturgeon said "most" transmission of the virus was not happening in schools, saying that "the risk is greater of community transmission getting into schools". | Ms Sturgeon said "most" transmission of the virus was not happening in schools, saying that "the risk is greater of community transmission getting into schools". |
| She said the current consultation was only on a "limited" use of face coverings in schools, because of "the relatively low levels of transmission we are currently seeing in the community". | She said the current consultation was only on a "limited" use of face coverings in schools, because of "the relatively low levels of transmission we are currently seeing in the community". |
| However she added that "where there are outbreaks there is an option for incident management teams to recommend more extensive use of face coverings for a period to protect public health". | However she added that "where there are outbreaks there is an option for incident management teams to recommend more extensive use of face coverings for a period to protect public health". |