Covid-19: schools set to close across UK except for children of health and social care workers
Elisabeth Mahase
Abstract
Schools across the UK will close on Friday 20 March for the foreseeable future, but in England will still take the children of vital workers—such as NHS, social care, and delivery workers—and those who are vulnerable, the government has announced. Speaking in parliament, education secretary for England Gavin Williamson said that “the spike of the virus is increasing at a faster pace than anticipated” and that the time had now come to act. He told early years providers, sixth forms, and colleges that they were also expected to follow the closure guidance. “The public health benefits of schools remaining open as normal are shifting. It is also clear that schools are finding it more difficult to continue as normal, as illness and self-isolation impact on staffing levels and pupil attendance,” …