Schools are drawing up plans to send whole year groups home for remote learning if staff shortages hit. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to be presented with the latest Covid data on Monday as he weighs up whether to impose fresh restrictions on England to stem the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
New measures have already come into force in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but ministers have so far swerved dictating new rules to those in England, instead hoping warnings would encourage people to self-police their own behaviour and cut down on social contacts.
Mr Johnson is reportedly expected to not announce new lockdown restrictions for England today. It is understood school closures are not being considered by