Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the policy of secondary school pupils in England having to wear masks in classrooms will be reviewed over Easter.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’re reviewing that at the Easter holidays to see if that has had a positive impact, and the impact that Public Health England would feel is right, or whether it’s going to continue to be necessary.”
But he did not rule out that the policy could be in place until June 21, the final date in the plan to ease the lockdown.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said he backed schools reopening even though there will be occasions “where infection is brought into the household”.
He told Good Morning Britain: “We just know that is a fact and most scientists have said very clearly that reopening schools has an effect on R (reproduction number).
“But, as we’re kind of opening schools in this direction, we are pressing down on the virus in the opposite direction.
“More and more of our priority cohorts are being vaccinated… and the uptake has been absolutely astonishing, significantly over 90% in all of the groups so far.”
He said “we are in a different space now, and I say we’ve got to do it (reopen schools).”
He added: “I say we’ve absolutely got to, because of the welfare of children – mental, educational, physical, the whole spread of child welfare – depends upon them going back to school.
“And I think we are in a much more optimistic place now because of the quite stunning effects, so far, of the vaccine programme.”
