Children up to 11 exempt from wearing face mask in Oman

Children up to 11 exempt from wearing face mask in Oman

Decision in line with WHO guidelines communicated to Ministry of Education along with advice to fully observe other precautionary measures.Muscat: Children aged up to 11 are exempt from wearing masks while at school, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. The decision comes days after children in grades one, four, five, nine and 11 were allowed to return to school. This development was communicated to the Ministry of Education, in keeping with guidelines drafted by the World Health Organization, for school-going children up to age 11. However, other precautionary measures in place to protect students and staff in schools must be adhered to, the ministry warned.“Children aged five years and under should not be required to wear masks, while children aged 12 and over should wear a mask and follow the same precautionary conditions as adults,” said the Ministry of Health statement. Shedding further light on this decision, an official from the Ministry of Health told the Times of Oman that children aged 11 and under might not have the maturity to properly handle their masks, which could lead to more infection to themselves and others. “You may be wondering why students between six and 11 years of age do