Schools are likely to remain closed in until "at least" the summer holidays, Scotland's education secretary has admitted.
John Swinney said there is no plan to allow children back into the classroom, insisting: "What I can say is that for the foreseeable future schools will be closed.
"We expect them to be closed until at least the summer break."
The Deputy First Minister addressed the issue in an interview with the BBC.
He explained that the Scottish Government will not take any action that will risk further spreading coronavirus.
And he cautioned that schools will only reopen when strict criteria have been met.
He added: "We have to make sure that the spread of coronavirus is suppressed.
"We are seeing the progress that has been made on slowing up the coronavirus just now, but that's on the basis that only one in every 200 children are in schools today.
"Now the minute we say more young people can be in that school we are acknowledging that the risk of the spread of coronavirus rises, and we can't afford to take that risk."
Mr Swinney hasn't ruled out a phased return for pupils, pointing out: "There are various options that can be considered."
Swinney had previously said he could not predict when schools would reopen.
