Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
What’s the timetable? WHO expert’s 4-step plan to get country working again
Pressure to open schools but chiefs say it’s premature Cases: 60,733 (up 5,491) Deaths: 7,097 (938) Cases:1.49million Deaths: 87,617
A TORY MP last night demanded schools be reopened as soon as was safe to prevent children’s education suffering.
As ministers came under pressure to tell parents whether their children can return to the classroom, Robert Halfon said he was worried some kids will be left behind because of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.
Health chiefs insist it is “premature” to say when the restrictions will be lifted and they are likely to extend beyond next week.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the review of the lockdown will go ahead around Monday, more than three weeks after it was imposed, but refused to put a time on when an exit strategy will start.
It is all but certain that schools will not be opening after the Easter break.
But heads and MPS have said that, while it would be unsafe to return in coming weeks, they would hope to be able to open fully before the end of the summer term in July.
As the number of UK deaths rose by 938 to 7,097, Mr Halfon – chair of the Education Select Committee – said: “Obviously I want schools to open as soon as possible because I’m really worried about what’s going to happen to left-behind kids. If they’re stuck at home they’re potentially going to suffer enormously.
“Education is the most important thing we can give to children and young people and it’s vital that schools open as soon as the science allows. It has to be a number one priority for the Government.”
Mr Halfon spoke after review from University College London last week cast doubt on the effectiveness of school closures in halting the disease.
A former World Health Organisation executive yesterday revealed his four-step strategy to ease Britain out of lockdown. Professor
Karol Sikora said the first step would be to let small businesses open again on April 27, with all schools following from May 4.
But unions have stressed the safety of teachers, pupils and the community – must come first. Chris Keates, acting general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “Everyone is anxious to return to normality as soon as possible, but decisions to either strengthen or loosen the current restrictions must always be governed by the medical and scientific evidence.
Political or business considerations must never be allowed to override the safety of pupils, school staff and the wider community.”
And Whitehall sources insisted no date had been set to reopen schools in England, and that a date would only emerge once scientific advice concluded it was safe for them to do
A FORMER WHO executive has revealed a possible strategy to ease Britain out of lockdown.
Professor Karol Sikora, ex-director of the UN body’s cancer unit, said the first step would be to let small businesses with fewer than 50 staff open on April 27.
Downing Street should reopen schools and ease some social distancing from May 4, he said.
Here is his timetable. so. Mr Sunak said: “We committed there would be a review in and around three weeks, that review will be based on the evidence and data, which will only be available next week. I think rather than speculate about the future, I think we should focus seriously on the here and now.”
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for Boris Johnson as the PM is treated from Covid-19, will chair a COBRA meeting with the devolved administrations to discuss the response to the lockdown.
Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said evidence from other countries suggests the peak remains “for some time” before a reduction occurs. He added: “I think it’s reasonable to say that the lockdown is going to need to continue for a while and we don’t need to take this decision at the beginning of next week.” The Welsh government has already decided to extend the restrictions by at least another week.
First Minister Mark Drakeford told a virtual meeting of the Welsh Assembly: “We will not throw away the gains we have made, and the lives we can save, by abandoning our efforts just as they begin to bear fruit.”
He revealed he had discussed the matter with ministers across the rest of the UK – which is widely expected to follow suit. London Mayor Sadiq