³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

From September face coverings will no longer be recommended in classrooms, the Welsh government has announced.

Current guidance says masks should be worn by secondary pupils if social distancing is not possible.

Wales' education minister announced the change in a letter to headteachers as well as further plans to "bring some normality back to education".

When the new school year starts in September, contact groups will no longer be required for school and college pupils, and the normal school timetable would return.

The test, trace and protect (TTP) system would be applied instead.

The Welsh education minister, Jeremy Miles said that the changes were possible as, by the end of September, all adults in Wales will have been offered both vaccinations and a "growing body of evidence" showed young people were "more at harm from missing school than from Covid".

"Lots of young people I have spoken to have said...they just want to be treated the same as everyone else - and that sounds fair to me," he said.

A Local Covid-19 Infection Control Decision Framework will be published at the start of the autumn term.

The Welsh government has said the framework will allow schools and colleges to use some interventions if needed, to reflect the local level of Covid-19 risk.

It said schools would be supported by public health officials and local authorities.

Face masks have not been required in schools in England since 17 May.

In Scotland all secondary pupils have been wearing face coverings in school corridors and classrooms but the Scottish government is looking at the role of masks in the general public after 9 August, when many restrictions will be lifted.

In Northern Ireland, secondary school pupils must wear masks in classrooms, school corridors and on transport while travelling to school. Ministers are considering removing the guidelines for students to wear face coverings in classrooms and school "bubbles" but that would be subject to public health conditions on 22 July.