Covid regulations force pupils to wear masks in school

PUPILS must still wear masks at school, the national health department clarified yesterday.

This followed confusion arising from a statement on Wednesday in which the department announced it had extended the period for public comments on health regulations relating to the Surveillance and Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions; Public Measures in Points of Entry; Management of Human Remains and Environmental Health by three months.

The new closing date for submissions of comments is July 5.

The regulations mainly focus on wearing of face masks, gatherings and persons entering the country.

“With regard to wearing a face mask, a person must, when entering and being inside an indoor public place, wear a face mask. “This does not apply to children at school. “Again, under these limited regulations, no person may use any form of public transport unless wearing a face mask,” the statement says.

However, yesterday, the department said there was a “regrettable human error” in the statement and that children were still to wear face masks at school.

“The department would like to bring to the public's attention the confusion created by unfortunate and regrettable human error in the media statement issued about the removal of face mask wearing by children at school.

“This is not part of the gazetted health regulations, and is therefore retracted to avoid any misunderstanding of the regulations. Children are expected to continue complying with the provisions of Regulation 16A on face masks in the classrooms and general indoor gatherings,” the department said.