Schools staying open could lead to longer lockdown, says scientist

KEEPING schools open during the November lockdown in England could mean infection rates stay higher for longer than when nationwide restrictions were first introduced in March, a leading scientist has warned.

Former chief scientific adviser Sir Mark Walport said the new restrictions were not as “severe” as the first time round, and that there was a “possibility” they may need to stay in place for more than four weeks.

In an interview, he warned: “It’s unlikely this time to come down quite as fast as it did during the first lockdown because we have got schools open.”

His comments were echoed by Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage), who said transmission in secondary schools is “high”. He said: “The big difference to the first lockdown is that schools remain open. Because we have delayed the onset of this lockdown it does make keeping schools open harder.

“We know that transmission, particularly in secondary schools, is high.

“Personally I think this is definitely the lockdown to put in place now but if that transmission, particularly in secondary schools, continues to rise then that may have to be revisited in the next four weeks in order to get R below one and the epidemic shrinking.”

The National Education Union has called for the Government to close schools and colleges when the new national restrictions come into force.

Labour said it supports keeping schools open, with party leader Sir Keir Starmer saying: “We’ve got to manage the risk.”