The majority of staff in education settings will not require PPE beyond what they normally need for their work.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) including face masks
Some people do not recommend to wear PPE in schools or other education settings. Face masks may be beneficial for short periods indoors where there is a risk of close social contact with people you do not usually meet. Or some places where they can not maintain social distancing. This does not apply to schools or other education settings. Schools and other education or childcare settings should therefore not require staff, children and learners to wear face masks. Changing habits, cleaning and hygiene are effective measures in controlling the spread of the virus. Face masks should not be worn in any circumstance by those who may not be able to handle them as directed as it may inadvertently increase the risk of transmission.
PPE is only needed in a very small number of cases:
- where an individual child, young person or other learner becomes ill with COVID-19 symptoms. Then if a distance of 2 meters cannot be maintained
- where a child, young person or learner already has routine intimate care needs that involves the use of PPE. So, they should continue to use the same PPE.
If education or childcare settings cannot obtain the PPE they need. They should approach their local authority (LA). Local authorities should support them to access local PPE markets and available stock locally, including through coordinating the redistribution of available supplies between settings according to priority needs.
How should PPE and face masks be disposed of?
Used PPE and any disposable masks that staff and children arrive wearing should be placed in a refuse bag. They can dispose them as normal domestic waste. The wearer must remove homemade face masks and place into a plastic bag that the wearer has brought with them in order to take it home. Then, The wearer must then clean their hands.
To dispose of waste, such as disposable cleaning cloths, tissues and PPE:
- put it in a plastic rubbish bag and tie it when full
- place the plastic bag in a second bin bag and tie it
- put it in a suitable and secure place marked for storage for 72 hours
Waste should be stored safely and securely kept away from children. You should not put your waste in communal waste areas until the waste has been stored for at least 72 hours. Settings such as residential care homes or special schools that generate clinical waste should continue to follow their usual waste policies.
