Social Distancing with under-11s

Following a question raised with us about social distancing with under-11s, we’ve done a bit of digging! The Welsh Government Guidance currently states that:

“In circumstances where young children mix with others, it may not be practical to attempt to maintain continual 2 metre distancing (between children, or even between children and adults). This is in part because it is harder for younger children to understand the concept of physical distancing, and in part because appropriate support from carers will often require closer contact.

“For young children (those of primary school age or younger), it is in any case less essential to attempt to rigidly maintain continual 2 metre distance between them, or between the children and any adults outside their household or extended household. Studies have found that young children are less likely to transmit the virus, whether to other children or to adults, and the virus appears to take a milder course in children than in adults for most cases.

“However as young children can still transmit the virus, parents of young children should still exercise their good judgement and take care especially to encourage their children to follow hand hygiene measures and keep close contact to a minimum wherever possible.”

So, what does this mean for Outdoor Activity Providers? We’re not lawyers, but we think this means that:

  • you’re unlikely to be accused of breaking the law if you don’t rigidly enforce social distancing with under-11s; but
  • to protect public health, you should still try to minimise the amount of close contact with and by under-11s.

We hope this clarifies the position a little bit!

Leave a comment