English schools may reopen regionally, medical chief suggests

There could be a phased reopening of schools in England based on regional infection rates after a lifting of national lockdown, MPs have been told.

The deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, said that as the country came out of lockdown, it was highly likely there would be inconsistent patterns of infection across communities in different parts of the country.

As a result, schools could reopen at different times with areas like London, which was one of the first to be severely affected by the new variant resulting in soaring rates of hospital admissions, among the first to get children back in classrooms.

Harries, who was giving evidence to MPs on the Commons education committee, would not commit to schools definitely reopening after the February half-term, saying there was still uncertainty about the implications of the new variant of the virus.

Asked by committee chair, Robert Halfon, whether there was likely to be a regional or phased system of opening, Harries said: “On the broad epidemiology, it’s highly likely that when we come out of this national lockdown, we will not have consistent patterns of infection in our communities across the country.

“And therefore, as we had prior to national lockdown, it may well be possible we need to have some differential application.”