Despite implementing facemasks for all pupils just to look like they’re doing something to keep schools open, a government review has admitted the evidence for using masks in schools is “not conclusive”.

That phrase appears to be overly conservative, given a study of 123 schools last October found that those using masks saw a reduction 2-3 weeks later in Covid absences from 5.3% to 3% (2.3 percentage points); by contrast, schools without masks saw Covid absences drop from 5.3% to 3.6%, a drop of 1.7 percentage points. All of this wasted energy comes at the expense of learning quality, with 94% of school leaders and teachers saying it makes communication between teachers and pupils more difficult…

It already sounds like pupils are taking it upon themselves to shun this Covid theatre, however. According to the NASUWT teaching union, pupils at six north west secondary schools are refusing to do lateral flow tests and wear masks. One Lancashire school has reportedly got just 67 children out of 1,300 willing to follow the guidance.

Guido observes this student rebellion is receiving far fewer plaudits than 2019’s ‘climate strike’…