Face coverings will remain obligatory for secondary school pupils and staff in communal spaces after the Easter holiday. 

The rules will continue to apply to every school across Scotland despite an expected end date to mask requirements in public spaces by April 4. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon kept face coverings as a legal requirement in an announcement to Scottish Parliament last week. 

However, masks will still need to be worn by pupils and staff in communal areas and when moving through school buildings.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Following the Easter break, face coverings will continue to be required in communal areas for staff and secondary school pupils.

“This is national guidance and these changes will be applied, and implemented, across all schools in Scotland.”

READ MORE: Schools across Scotland forced to close amid rise in Covid cases among staff

The guidance in secondary schools are expected to remain in place until April 18. 

“Throughout the pandemic there has been school-specific guidance on face coverings and physical distancing. From April 18 that changes.

“Requirements regarding face coverings and physical distancing will be the same as those in place for other workplaces.”

The requirement for pupils to wear masks in classrooms was lifted on February 28. 

Covid-19 cases across Scotland have risen over the recent weeks with the number of people in hospital with the virus reaching a record high for the second day in a row on Tuesday.

The surging cases have largely been attributed to the dominance of the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron. 

Schools across the country have also reported possible returns to remote learning amid high levels of staff absences due to the virus. 

Some pupils in Dumfries and Galloway, Moray, Orkney and the Western Island and the Highlands are moving to remote learning.