THE headteacher of a County Durham school where more than 60 pupils are isolating with Covid is asking students to continue to wear face coverings.

Yesterday, the Government announced face coverings will no longer need to be worn in the classroom from today.

But Andy Byers, headteacher at Framwellgate School, Durham, said he had asked students to continue wearing masks.

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There are more than 60 pupils and ten teachers at the school currently isolating, with a small number “quite poorly”.

He told the BBC: “Face masks were brought in for a reason because the Omicron variant was spreadingquickly and case rates were particularly high. In this area of the country case rates are still high.

“We don’t see the need or reason to remove those mitigations now. Parents and students watching the television news last night will have seen a blanket message saying face coverings weren’t to be worn.

“We want our students to continue to wear face masks in school and that makes it particularly difficult to manage.”

Responding on Radio 4’s Today programme, health secretary Sajid Javid said: “There has long been a debate about face masks, particularly in schools. The Government’s job is  to take a balanced and proportionate decision, in this case balanced against the best interest of children.

“It’s harder to teach children and it will have an impact on education if they are required to wear face masks at all times in classrooms.

“We do have to take this into account.”

Mr Byers wrote to parents last night about the decision encouraging students to wear face coverings for the next two or three weeks.

Responding to the Government’s announcement yesterday, he wrote: “This announcement creates some difficulty for us. Case rates in the North East are still relatively high. We currently have 60+ students and 10 staff absent, having tested positive. A small proportion of those people have been quite poorly.

“Speaking to colleagues in other local secondary schools, we are all in a similar position; high levels of absence with some students missing important face-to-face teaching, and a reliance on supply teachers covering lessons.

“For this reason I would like to encourage students to continue to wear face coverings for the next two or three weeks until (hopefully) case number fall.”

The Government is also no longer asking people to work from home.

It was also announced yesterday that other Plan B restrictions will end in England next Thursday. 

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