Masks in post-primary schools the ‘new normal’ from today

It’s the start of a new week, a new term, and a new set of rules for secondary pupils and teachers - as they need to remember to take a face covering with them to school.

Masks are now recommended in corridors and communal areas, unless there’s a health reason that prevents a person from doing so.

The Government says reasonable excuses include physical or mental illness or impairment, a disability that means you can’t wear a face covering, or if it would cause you severe distress.

Education Minister Peter Weir said this decision was taken based on scientific advice from the Chief Scientific Adviser and Chief Medical Officer, and that it’s merely an extension of the guidance that was already available.

He also said it might need to change again: “We’ve always said that the advice would be science led and medically led, but also that it’s potentially going to be quite adaptable and as some additional information might come to play, some changes will be made.”

Minister Weir outlined why he decided face-mask in communal areas would be necessary: “Situations where you had groups of pupils for example, congregating and talking at length, because I think it’s not just an issue of distance, sometime it’s an issue of time as well. So, that was an updating and extension of what we were saying about face-coverings, but we’d already covered issues around what was happening in classrooms.”

Lots of preparation has gone in behind the scenes at schools, putting procedures in place to mitigate risks, and the importance of hand-hygiene at school has never been understated.

However, the first defence, according to the Education Minister, is keeping a sick student at home: “The first step in keeping our schools safe is that anyone with symptoms should not attend school. Parents should not send their children to school if they have any of the Covid-19 symptoms including:

• a high temperature

• a new, continuous cough

• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.”