Masks no longer required in secondary schools in Wales as restrictions ease

The Welsh Government has formally removed the Infection Control Framework for Higher and Further Education institutions from today.

The change will bring higher and further education into line with the wider public health guidance followed by businesses, employers and event organisers.

It means face masks are no longer required.

Until now face coverings had to be worn by school staff and secondary school pupils when moving around buildings and in communal areas.

The advice covers control measures that could be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission of the most common communicable diseases, including Coronavirus, flu and norovirus.

Universities and colleges have been following sector-specific guidance to reduce the transmission of Covid-19, similar to the local framework followed by schools, with a scale of measures based on local risk.

On 18 April, the Welsh Government removed the legal requirement for businesses, employers and event organisers to undertake specific risk assessments and employ reasonable measures to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, said: “I would like to thank our college and university staff and students for their tremendous efforts throughout the pandemic in not only supporting students to keep learning but also their leading role in the fight against Coronavirus.

“The continuation of education has been a Welsh Government priority throughout the pandemic. We have worked closely with the sector to ensure Covid-secure environments and in-person learning and campus facilities were available.

“We are now in a Covid-stable scenario and the public health risks for higher and further education have reduced significantly. Therefore the continuation of additional public health measures is no longer proportionate and we have asked institutions to formally remove their infection control frameworks from today.”