Scientists are trying to assess the impact opening schools would have on the coronavirus infection rate, the chief medical officer said today.
Professor Chris Whitty said scientists are working out whether reopening schools would have an impact on the COVID-19 infection rate - the R value.
He said they are 'getting closer' to having a 'narrower range of uncertainty' on the impact. But he said scientists do not yet have 'direct data' that will help them.
He also warned that when the lockdown is eased there will have to be 'some difficult choices' made and that the reopening of schools will be one of them.