WHO: children aged 12 and over should wear masks like adults

Children aged 12 and over should wear masks to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic under the same conditions as adults, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).  EPA

Children aged 12 and over should wear masks to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic under the same conditions as adults, while those aged between six and 11 should wear them on a risk-based approach, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Those 12 years and over should particularly wear a mask when a one-metre distance from others cannot be guaranteed and there is widespread transmission in the area, the WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a document on the WHO website dated August 21.

Whether children between six and 11 should wear masks depends on several factors, including the intensity of transmission in the area, the child's ability to use the mask, access to masks and adequate adult supervision, the two organisations said.

The UN agencies said those five years and under shouldn’t required to wear masks based on the safety and overall interest of the child.

The potential impact on learning and psycho-social development, and the interactions the child has with people at high risk of developing serious illness, should also play a role, they added.

Recent studies suggest older children potentially play a more active role in transmission of the new coronavirus than younger children.

Additionally, a study released on Thursday provided critical data showing that children play a larger role in community spread of coronavirus than previous thought. Children were also shown to have a significantly higher level of virus in their airways than adults who were in intensive care units for Covid-19 treatment.

The WHO and UNICEF said more data was needed to better understand the role of children and adolescents in the transmission of the virus, which causes Covid-19.

The WHO first advised people to wear masks in public on June 5 to help reduce the spread of the disease, but had previously not issued specific guidance for children.

More than 23 million people have been reported to be infected by the coronavirus globally since it was first identified in China at the tail-end of last year and more than 800,000 have died.