Surely all the UK governments should be providing free Face Masks for pupils.

Prehaps the question over whether and when pupils should wear Face Masks in school, should be how they should be provided and why haven't the UK legislatures prepared for it and whether the government there should provide it free.

With decision about whether children will need to wear face coverings to school in Wales will be made today. Health minister Vaughan Gething has said he wanted any change to guidance on the mandatory use of face coverings to be made before schools reopen next Tuesday.

With news that pupils in England will no longer be advised against using face masks in secondary schools after Boris Johnson made an 11th-hour U-turn days before classrooms reopen. It will be important that the media cover (no pun intended) the advice or mandatory ruling of the Welsh Government .

In lockdown areas such as Greater Manchester, which have greater restrictions to stop the spread of the virus, wearing face coverings will become mandatory in school corridors where social distancing is more difficult.



In areas of England not subject to tighter restrictions, headteachers will have discretion over whether to require face masks, but the government will no longer advise against their use, a senior government source said.

The 2English" prime minister bowed to pressure and changed the guidance late on Tuesday after scores of headteachers broke ranks to urge their use, backed by Labour and trade unions.

The UK government has been under pressure to review its advice on masks in schools after the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its guidance at the weekend to say that face coverings were useful to curb the spread of Covid-19 where physical distancing between adults and pupils aged 12 and over was impossible, or in areas of high transmission.

Scotland confirmed on Tuesday that secondary schools would be given “obligatory” guidance on pupils wearing face coverings, while Stormont’s education minister said post-primary pupils in Northern Ireland would be asked to wear face coverings in corridors and other communal areas from 31 August when they return full time. Wales is reviewing its advice.

However it does not seem that any of the UK legislatures have considered issuing Fre masks to pupils and consideration of how poorer families , will be able to pay for them.

Surely with the knowledge that pupils would be returning to schools , the availability of Masks that match , the standards expected and the daily cost of masks , should have been a priority.

Free masks that are approved should be handed out on a daily or weekly basis in the forming to all pupils , whether the UK legislatures deem them to be compulsory or not.