One of the country’s leading infectious disease experts said the benefits of mask wearing for children under 12 were marginal and offset by the disadvantages of having to wear them.

All children in year 3 and above will from Thursday be required to wear masks at WA schools or whenever they go to public indoor venues, in line with adults.

Infectious Diseases Specialist at the Australian National University School of Medicine, Professor Peter Collignon, told 6PR Mornings host Liam Bartlett there’s a lack of evidence showing masks are effective for children under 12 years.

“Wherever you look at it, you’re hard pressed to show that masks, even in adults but particularly children- where they’ve had these mandates in schools – make much difference to the epidemic curve,” he said.

Dr Collignon said he did not believe the mandate for eight-year-olds to wear masks would better protect West Australians from Omicron.

“There is a fear that children are super spreaders, but that’s not what the data shows,” he said.

Press PLAY below to hear their chat.

WA Premier Mark McGowan explained the decision to introduce the mask mandate for school children in years 3 to 6 at a press conference today.

“The evidence is that children can be spreaders of the virus, and whilst they don’t get as sick as adults … by wearing masks you reduce the amount of spread of the virus,” he said.