Wales will keep masks in schools for now as restrictions in schools are eased slowly.
Speaking at Tuesday's Welsh Government coronavirus briefing Eduation Minister Jeremy Miles said a couple more weeks data was needed to better understand the impact of children returning to school, before any other changes were made, but the priority was to keep schools open.
He added: "Face coverings will remain in schools for the time being, just as they are required in most public places, at alert level zero."
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Schools can return to the same Covid restrictions as last term after February half term, he said. That means without the extra measures recommended in response to the Omicron wave at the start of this term - contact bubbles and the flexibility to have staggered start and end times.
The minister said he “expects” normal school start and end times to resume after half term rather than staggered times. Not all schools re-introduced staggered times but special schools, especially, had found them useful, he said.
Changes requested this term in response to Omicron included:
- Secondary pupils asked to take three rather than two lateral flow tests a week
- Schools can re-introduce staggered start and finish times
- Masks to be worn by all staff, visitors and secondary pupils in indoor areas where social distancing can't be maintained, including lessons - as requested last term too
- Contact bubbles
The announcement means few changes in reality. Some schools had re-introduced contact bubbles and masks last term anyway.
But from half term the Minister confirmed schools and local education authorities can ramp mitigations up or down depending on local circumstances as set out in the Welsh Government schools re-opening guidance. That means the situation will depend from area to area .
On exams the Minister repeated that the intention is to go ahead with them.
The Minister said case rates among children and young people were not entirely clear as they are based on PCR and not lateral flow tests and more data was needed.
“Public Health Wales have been clear that we need a couple more weeks of data to better understand the impact of the return to schools.
“As a government, we are absolutely clear that, for wellbeing and learning, it is vital that children and young people are in school. That remains our priority.
“On the 10th of February the welsh Government will be holding our next three week review. At that point there will be a week to go nefore the half term break.
“On the 10th, if thje evidence supports it, we will be able to confirm to schools that they should return to making local decisions in line with the Covid framework, to that all schools have completed the process by the beginning of the new half term.”
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