To think the government will now have to change plans for schools

[oldbagface]

Now that masks are mandatory in shops I believe they will now have to allow them to be worn in schools. I'm thinking secondary schools here.

I didn't think they would make them mandatory in shops to avoid this but now they have, they can cannot really argue against it. Can they?

I really worry for teachers, children and parents. And if masks are necessary in shops then surely to goodness they are in schools.

They kind of masks the public are being asked to wear do not provide full protection from the virus particles. That is why they also ask us to continue maintaining social distancing. They aren't a substitute for keeping our distance. They wiil provide some but not total protection as you are still breathing in and out through the non medical standard ones.

Absolutely agree - NOTHING short of full PPE provides total protection that's why we need to do lots of things at once - social distancing, masks, handwashing, good ventilation etc.

In schools however, 2m distancing is often impossible with all children back so masks are especially important to use in some circumstances to reduce (not eliminate) the risk.

And the government should be giving extra money to schools to enable other measures like ventilation (so increase heating budgets), and enabling more handwashing by increasing capacity with mobile sink units for example