The COVID Diaries – 254 2nd January
Education secretary Gavin Williamson is facing renewed calls that he should resign as his plans for school reopening next week descend into chaos.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “It is massively risky to open schools when so many parts of the NHS are teetering on the brink. The economic and human impact of keeping them closed is severe – but so too is the impact of thousands of wholly avoidable extra deaths. So I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up effectively keeping the majority of schools closed until the February half-term.”
SAGE, the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies has warned that it would be “highly unlikely” that the pandemic could be brought under control if schools open next week.