Scotland’s back-to-school plan is in doubt after concerns progress to tackle covid-19 has “stalled”.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has previously said pupils in primary 1-3 could return from February 22, along with senior phase secondary students who need school resources to complete coursework.
A final decision will be made by the SNP government on Tuesday and will depend on the prevalence of the virus.
Today, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman told the Scottish Government coronavirus briefing on Friday that ministers will be cautious in their decision.
Also speaking at the briefing, national clinical director Jason Leitch said progress on reducing the spread of the virus, which has improved since lockdown was announced at the beginning of January, has “stalled”.
He said: “The trajectory is still a really difficult question. It is slow - it is still decelerating - but barely.
“We have stalled, not completely, but the curve is flatter than we would have hoped and that is all down to the new variant.
“Over this weekend, I and my colleagues – with the modellers, with the statisticians, with the public health leaders – will give advice to the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet and they will decide on Monday whether schools should open, even in this limited way.”
Freeman said: “While the news that we are reporting is better news than we have been reporting about case numbers and numbers in ICU, those are still high case numbers and people are dying in numbers that are of huge regret to all of us – so our approach must be a cautious one.
“It must be cautious and we must take time to be sure about the progress we’re making.
“The Cabinet will meet at the start of the week and review all of that information, take advice from colleagues like Jason and the chief medical officer and make a final decision next week on whether that planned limited reopening of education can still go ahead.”
