Coronavirus: why are UK schools closing and what does it mean for parents?

Boris Johnson announces change in policy as rate of infections increases faster than anticipated

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Why are schools closing now?

Up until Wednesday the British government’s policy had been to keep schools open, not least to ensure that key NHS and frontline care workers can remain in their posts rather than going home to look after their children. But Boris Johnson said the government had been forced to change tack because the rate of Covid-19 infections was increasing faster than anticipated. He said the public health benefits of keeping schools open had shifted and the scientific advice was that schools should close to slow the spread of the virus. But by the time the announcement was made, many schools had already been forced to close because of staff shortages due to illness or self-isolation measures.

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