Welsh Government expected to issue fresh advice on children wearing face masks in school
Fresh advice on whether secondary school pupils should wear face masks is expected be issued by the Welsh Government before the end of the week.
Health Minister Vaughan Gething said he's asked the Children and Schools advisory group to consider the current guidance. It follows a switch in guidance from the World Health Organisation which is now advising that all children over 12 wear face coverings.
Scotland has already announced school pupils as young as five will have to wear face masks in some settings from next week.
Mr Gething said he recognises he needs to make those changes "sooner rather than later."
He said: “ I have asked the Children and Schools advisory group to consider the current guidance in Wales. They will look at any additional risks...Our Technical Advisory Cell are revisiting the evidence and will provide us with further advice later today.
“In doing so it is important that we take decisions that are proportionate, that are owned and appropriate to their settings and local populations.
"Our background rate is currently low, so we must then consider the balance of harms, especially for children and young people with additional needs.”
Pupils in Wales will begin returning to school on 1 September.