LONDON (CU)_Millions of children returned to schools in England on Monday (8 March), for the first time after a lengthy period of home learning which was enforced as a part of a lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The reopening of schools marks the first move of the government’s four-stage plan to ease the nationwide lockdown, which is expected to be lifted entirely by late June.
Pupils from both primary and secondary schools returned with new rules, including restrictions on socialising with children outside a strictly defined “bubble”, in addition to the need to wear masks in class, while hand-washing must be frequent. Meanwhile, schools are also dealing with a severe logistical burden of mass-testing students for COVID-19.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “getting all schools back” has been the government’s priority and the first step of the “roadmap back to normality”. He also expressed his gratitude towards teachers, parents and guardians for their efforts in keeping the kids learning throughout the pandemic.
Following the first strict national COVID lockdown in spring last year, most pupils missed out on more than three months of school. However, children with “key worker” parents were allowed to come to school during this period, although they did not have normal lessons.
While the reopening of schools marked an exciting day for pupils, teachers and parents, experts however warn that if infection rates start to get out of control, this would mean the next stages of easing lockdown will have to be put on hold.
Along with the resumption of classroom teaching on Monday, the government also allowed a designated friend or relative to visit care home residents in England, while two friends can also meet each other outdoors.
As the government is moving cautiously with easing the lockdown, the United Kingdom continues to steadily carryout its mass inoculation programme. More than 22 million people in the country have received at least one dose of a vaccine to date, as the UK continues to make progress with Europe’s fastest vaccination programme.
Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, the UK has recorded the fifth-highest official death toll in the world, reporting around 124,500 deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test.
