The UK government has made face coverings compulsory for staff and pupils aged 12 and above in secondary schools in areas subject to local lockdowns to control the spread of coronavirus.

In a U-turn after mandatory face masks had been ruled out, the Department for Education said that as schools in England prepare to reopen for the new term in the coming weeks, it is updating its advice on face coverings in schools in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance on face masks.