Already we have had reports that mask wearing by secondary school pupils is patchy. While some teenagers might want to stand out from the crowd, many will be unwilling to wear a mask if nobody else is doing it. The masks provided are the same design as those worn by the New Zealand athletes at this year’s Olympics. They are white, which may seem impractical, but pupils at the college are being encouraged to personalise them by providing their own decoration. There will be other ways of encouraging pupils to wear masks: involving them in making them, having class competitions and so on, but schools must also be careful that those who are unable to wear masks are not stigmatised in the process.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 19, 2021 16:30 UTC