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Schools could remain closed until we know how much children contribute to the spread of the coronavirus, explained the medical director of England.
Professor Chris Whitty said understanding transmission between children is a “very important” factor in deciding whether school closure is a “critical part of our long-term response.”
He openly admitted at the end of a Gresham College online conference when he highlighted the “many things we don’t know and need” about the virus.
(Image: 10 Downing Street / AFP via Getty)
He said: “It is important that we do not know how much children contribute to transmitting the virus, and this is very important, for example, in deciding whether closing schools is a critical part of our long-term response.”
Earlier in the week it was reported that schoolchildren in Britain could return to school part-time before the summer break.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is planning a possible gradual return to school for all students after the coronavirus closes, but declined to give a date for their reopening.
But some reports claim that year groups with the most pressing educational milestones, like tests, may take precedence.
The Sun reports that youth are about to move from elementary school to high school, and students taking GCSE or A Levels may have priority.
The United Kingdom could also see staggered return dates, and the ministers’ plans are said to include strategies including allowing primary school children to return first, followed by secondary students later.
A source told the newspaper that the government was eager for the children to return to school in the summer.
But these reports differ from Professor Whitty’s comments made last night.
During the conference, Professor Whitty also said that a second wave of coronavirus could be “more severe” than the first and may spread more quickly if it arrives in winter.
(Image: Getty Images)
He said that all countries seeking to ease the blockade measures must now negotiate an “extremely difficult balancing act” to keep the pandemic under control.
In particular, the virus’ s “R” number should be kept below one, which means that each infected person could expect to pass it on to less than another person on average.
Professor Whitty said: “We have to make sure that R does not come back above one. Because otherwise we will go back to a second wave.”
“It is entirely plausible that a second wave is more severe than the first if it is not mitigated.
“All countries have an extremely difficult balancing act, and we must all be honest about the fact that there are no easy solutions here.
“Covid-19 is far from complete and eradication is technically impossible for this disease.”
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