Schools back by March 8 ‘if we can’ – PM

BORIS Johnson has refused to guarantee that England’s schoolchildren will return to class on March 8. The Prime Minister has targeted that date for the return of schools because those most at risk of dying from coronavirus will have received protection from a first dose of vaccine by then. But at Prime Minister’s Questions Mr Johnson was not able to say that all children will return, nor that the March 8 date would be met. He insisted “we’re going to do everything we can” to get children back in class on March 8 “if we possibly can”. But he said it was important to keep coronavirus under control and “we cannot take our foot off its throat”.

Mr Johnson was challenged by Tory MP Julian Sturdy to confirm that “all students” will be back in school no later than March 8 and called on the Government to commit to starting any phased return “straight after half-term”.

That would mean the “really damaging effects of being away from school are not drawn out for any longer than is absolutely necessary”. The administrations in Scotland and Wales have both said they hope to begin phased reopenings of schools after half-term, from February 22.