Frontline health and social care staff, people involved in food production and delivery, and utility workers are among a list of workers deemed “essential” to the Covid-19 response.
The government published a list of “key workers” in the early hours of Friday whose children will continue to be cared for at school amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The “key workers” list was expected to be published on Thursday, with those included anticipated to be NHS staff, police and supermarket delivery drivers.
But on Thursday evening, health secretary Matt Hancock, speaking on BBC Question Time, confirmed that the list would not be published until Friday – when most schools will shut their gates until further notice.
The Department for Education said: “If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision.”
