NEW expert advice is set to be provided to the Welsh Government later today on the issue of whether secondary school pupils in Wales should wear face masks in school.

But although health minister Vaughan Gething - addressing the matter at the Welsh Government's coronavirus media briefing - said that a choice on whether to implement such a measure needs to be made "sooner rather than later", a decision is not expected before the end of tomorrow.

Secondary school pupils in Scotland must wear masks in corridors but not in classrooms under guidance issued by the Scottish Government recently.

“Our Technical Advisory Cell is revisiting the evidence and will provide us with further advice later today," said Mr Gething.

“In doing so, it’s important that we take decisions that are proportionate, that are owned and are appropriate to their settings and local populations."

Mr Gething reiterated the advice issued two days ago by the UK's four Chief Medical Officers - that it is safe for children to return to school - and he said that in Scotland, where pupils have already begun the autumn terms, the attendance rate has been around 95 per cent.

Pupils and teaching staff in Wales will return to their classrooms next week.

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"Most parents understand we (in Wales) are at a much lower risk level," said Mr Gething, who pointed out that the statutory requirement to send your children to school does not come into force again until the middle of September.

But he stressed that it is much better to have an honest conversation around the issues rather than adopting a "harsh, straight line" approach.

"Our understanding of school outbreaks is that they are almost always due to community transmissions coming into the school," said Mr Gething.

"The behaviour of adults outside schools matters most in terms of controlling coronavirus.

He said that measures being put in place around the school day - such a staggered start times and an emphasis on hand hygiene - are important.

But parents have a key role to play, and that means the likes of gatherings outside the school gates by parents should not happen.