British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said reopening schools in September was a social , economic and moral necessity and maintained that they could run safely given the pandemic ‘s continuing danger. His remarks follow a report earlier this month that cautioned that Britain is facing a second COVID-19 epidemic twice as wide this winter as the initial outbreak if schools are opening without an enhanced test-and-trace program.
England schools closed during a national shutdown in March, except for the children of the main staff, and reopened for a limited number of pupils in June. The Government requires all students to return to school in what Johnson called a “public imperative” by early September. “Keeping our schools closed a moment longer than absolutely necessary is socially intolerable, economically unsustainable and morally indefensible,” Johnson wrote.
“This pandemic isn’t over, and the last thing any of us can afford to do is become complacent. But now that we know enough to reopen schools to all pupils safely, we have a moral duty to do so,” he wrote. The Sunday Times newspaper confirmed that he directed a public relations drive to ensure timely opening of schools and told last week’s meeting that they would be the last closing places behind restaurants , pubs and shops.
