Do pupils have to wear face masks at school?

The health department has cleared the air on pupils wearing face masks at school, saying they should continue wearing them. 

This confusion comes after a statement by the department saying pupils should not wear masks in school. The statement was issued after amending limited regulations on Wednesday, after the extension of the deadline for public comment on the proposed Covid-19 regulations by three months.

“With regards 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,” it said. 

However, the department said it was a “regrettable human error” that its initial statement said pupils should not wear masks in school. 

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

“This is not part of the gazetted health regulations, and is therefore retracted to avoid any misunderstanding of the regulations. Therefore, children, like other people, are expected to continue complying with the provisions of Regulation 16A on face masks in the classrooms and general indoor gatherings, unlike outdoors in playgrounds and sports fields.

“Face masks are an effective non-pharmaceutical intervention against the spread of the Covid-19 virus, and it is more relevant now as the number of positive cases is rising once again.”

Gatherings are defined as planned assembly or meeting at a particular venue involving more than 100 people. 

“For any indoor and outdoor gatherings, a maximum of 50% of the venue capacity may be occupied provided that every attendee must be vaccinated against Covid-19 and produce a valid vaccination certificate,” said health minister Joe Phaahla.

He said, alternatively, attendees must produce a valid negative Covid-19 test result not older than 72 hours before the date of the gathering.

“If complying with this indoor gathering requirement is not possible, then attendance shall be limited to 1,000 people or 50% of the capacity, whichever is smaller, while the attendance at an outdoor gathering shall be limited to 2,000 people or 50% of the capacity, whichever is smaller,” he said. 

Phaahla said public commentary was extended until July 5 and is in line with statutory requirements. He said it will afford the department sufficient time to go through and consider all comments and representations on the regulations.

“Despite the current process to source public comments on the health regulations, there is still an imperative to provide options to manage the Covid-19 pandemic and other notifiable medical conditions without invoking the state of national disaster,” said Phaahla. 

“Covid-19 remains a life-threatening disease, and the country is not yet out of the woods.

“The only way we can protect ourselves and our loved ones against this pandemic and the current rising number of positive cases, is through vaccination and adhering to preventive measures at all times. Fully vaccinated people are urged to consider booster shots to increase their immunity.”

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