Leora Cruddas, chief executive of CST said: “The decision late last night by Government clears up uncertainty about the use of face coverings in education, in light of the World Health Organisation statement.
"The important thing now is that parents and carers are confident about a return to school in the Autumn term. Prolonged absence from school is concerning academically, socially - and for some children, from a welfare and safety perspective.”
"This is an exercise in the balance of risk. It is important to balance the public health risks in the short term (related to the transmission of the virus) with longer term public health considerations. If a child loses out on education, this can have an impact on that child across their whole lives - their economic prosperity and long-term health. Children benefit hugely from being at school.”
"We know from the Chief Medical Officers and Deputy Chief Medical Officers that they are confident in the extensive evidence that there is an exceptionally small risk of children of primary or secondary school age dying from COVID-19. And there is clear evidence of a very low rate of severe disease in children of primary and secondary school ages compared to adults, even if they catch COVID-19.”
"Schools have been planning over the summer to implement a system of controls, advised by Public Health England, to make schools as safe as possible. It is important that face coverings do not become a distraction to the clear imperative that children should return to school.”
