Schools will officially close until further notice from Friday
The Prime Minister made a public address
Last updated 18th Mar 2020
Today the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, announced that all schools will be closed from Friday until further notice and that this will be for all children except those who are most vulnerable and those of key workers including NHS staff, police and delivery drivers.
Addressing a Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister said, "We think now that we must apply further downward pressure on that upward curve by closing the schools.''
He said the objective of the measure was to slow the spread of the virus.
He added, "We will take the right steps at the right time guided by the science. We believe that the steps we have already taken, together with those I am announcing today, are already slowing the spread of the disease."
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said, "We welcome the Government's announcement that, for public health reasons, schools will now close. It is better for this to take place in an ordered way than the chaotic pattern of closures that was developing.
"We also welcome the clarity that SATs, GCSE, AS- and A-Level exams are to be cancelled. This offers some degree of reassurance to teachers, their students and parents.
"We note that, at this time of emergency, the Government has decided that teacher assessment is indeed a good method of giving reliable information about young people's progress and achievements. We will return to that when this crisis is over.
"Now, more than anything else the Government needs to concentrate on ensuring that children in food poverty are fed properly - these children are not just those on free school meals.''
Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of School Leaders' union NAHT, said the country faces a "truly unprecedented and grave situation''.
He said, "The government has explained to us that the decision taken about schools today, led by the scientific and health advice, will balance the need to restrict access to schools with continuing to provide some important functions to maintain the fabric of society."
The Welsh Government had already announced all schools will close for an early Easter break by Friday at the latest, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced schools in Scotland will also close by the end of the week. The Press Association reported that schools in Northern Ireland will close from 5pm today (Wednesday 18th March) with teachers attending for two more days.
Mr Johnson has this week promised to protect private renters from eviction due to the spread of coronavirus, with further measures to be introduced to protect the vulnerable and those who face job losses.
The Prime Minister said, "This is a national emergency and we're asking the public to do things, to take actions in a way that is really unprecedented for a government in peacetime and perhaps even unprecedented in the last century.''
The death toll in the UK has now surpassed 100, however it is unclear how many are currently suffering with the disease.
The Prime Minister has revealed that the NHS will move to carry out 25,000 coronavirus tests per day.
What are the Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms?
The main symptoms of Coronavirus are a cough and fever (more than 37.8 degrees). According to the NHS website, Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19 is, 'a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.'
Even if your symptoms are mild, you are being ask to self-isolate for seven days, more information can be found nhs.uk/coronavirus