Watch: Masks to stay in schools as Sturgeon gives Covid update

The First Minister is giving the latest Covid update for Scotland following repeated calls from opposition parties to lift face mask rules in schools.

Nicola Sturgeon is set to address MSPs at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

The announcement comes as a further 6630 Covid cases were confirmed in Scotland on Monday and 14 new deaths.

Currently, all staff and learners in secondary schools must wear face masks at all times as well as on school transport.

Face coverings must also be worn by parents and other visitors to all school sites, whether entering the building or otherwise, including parents at drop-off and pick-up.

Last week Sturgeon said that there would be no change to regulations, with vaccine passports and face masks in schools remaining.

However, she said the school face covering issue will be considered again on February 8.

Scottish Tory leader, Douglas Ross, said: “Adults can go to the pub and not wear a face mask, but pupils in the classroom have to.”

“The First Minister said in her statement, ‘no one wants young people to have to wear face coverings in the classroom for a moment longer than necessary’.

“So, First Minister, just what needs to happen for your Government to remove the requirement for face coverings in our classrooms?”

“What I narrated here was a situation that, because of the sensible, proportionate measures that have been taken, is much better than it would have been,” the First Minister said.

“Let me point out a couple of important differences; firstly, adults have a choice about going to the pub and mixing with other people – children don’t have a choice about going to school and mixing with other people and, secondly, children are less vaccinated than adults because the vaccination of children was recommended by the JCVI at a much later stage.

“These are all the reasons why it is right to continue to take a precautionary approach to the protection of children.”