THE Welsh Government has recommended that secondary school pupils wear face masks in communal areas when they return to school next week - but it will not be mandatory.

The move means that it will be up to schools and local councils to decide whether face masks are necessary once they have completed risk assessments.

Any requirement to wear face masks will not apply to children under the age of 11.

In a written statement published on Wednesday afternoon from Health Minister Vaughan Gething and Education Minister Kirsty Williams, they say individual councils and college leaders should complete risk assessments to decide whether students should wear masks in communal areas and corridors of schools and colleges where social distance cannot be maintained.

The statement added: “We are advised that while face coverings are likely to be of little value in children under the age of 11 years, the rates of infection and transmission increase after from the age of 11 onwards and could have a role in risk mitigation.

“The current advice from the Chief Medical Officer for Wales is that face coverings are recommended for all members of the public over 11 years in indoor settings in which social distancing cannot be maintained, including schools and school transport.

“We will amend our operational guidance for schools and FE to require settings and local authorities to undertake risk assessments of their estates to determine if face coverings should be recommended for their staff and young people in communal areas. This will also include school and college transport.

“This guidance will remain under review as the pandemic continues and may change if community prevalence changes across Wales in the future.”