COVID Q&A Why shield if cases are down, and will school return cause a rise?

Q Infections are falling so why do I now need to shield?

A On Tuesday, the Government announced 1.7 million more people in England would be told to shield. The decision was made following an Oxford University study that revealed more people were at serious risk from Covid-19 than previously thought.

Unlike before, the new analysis takes into account ethnicity, poverty and body weight – all associated with increased risk of severe disease and death from Covid. New shielders will join the 2.3 million who have been advised not to leave home or mix with anyone outside their household.

All new shielders will also be bumped up the vaccine priority list. Anyone in this group who hasn’t already been invited for their jab will be in the coming weeks. Even so, those who’ve had one or two doses of the vaccine in this group should continue to shield for the time being.

Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer for England, said: ‘For the first time, we are able to go even further in protecting the most vulnerable in our communities. This new model is a tribute to our health and technology researchers.’

Q Will children going back to school cause a rise in cases?

A Boris Johnson said that he hopes to begin getting children back to school on March 8. This is expected to happen in phases, with children in younger age groups prioritised for the earliest return.

The Government has announced the return will go hand-in-hand with mass Covid testing in every school. Even with these restrictions, some experts worry that the reopening of schools could lead to a spike in cases and delay the easing of restrictions.

Recent data from Imperial College London shows the virus is currently most common among children aged between five and 12, and adults aged 18 to 24.

The high infection rate in children is thought to be because nearly a quarter of children – those with key worker parents or with special needs – are still attending school.

Government scientific adviser Professor Mark Woolhouse said: ‘We know what a surge in cases looks like – we saw it in September and October in the universities. We’ve never seen that in the schools, and I don’t expect to.’