The Republic of Ireland announced yesterday it would be closing all schools to attempt to halt the spread of coronavirus. Ireland, Spain, France, and Bolivia were among the countries to announce school closures yesterday, as worldwide cases topped 130,000.

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters at a press conference in Downing Street last night that UK schools would not shut.

The shock decision came as Mr Johnson offered a stark warning over the outbreak, saying: “We’ve all got to be clear, this is the worst public health crisis for a generation.

“It is going to spread further and I must level with you, I must level with the British public: many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”

Today the UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance claimed implementing school closures now would see educational establishments shut down for “many months”.

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Hetold LBC: “Because of the nature of this disease and the way it spreads and its duration, we would have to close schools for many months, not just a few weeks.

“Schools would need to be shut for a very prolonged period.

“Children, of course, aren’t going to separate for long periods, they are going to go and do other things together.

“And they may go and stay with grandma, one of those in the most vulnerable group.”

According to UNESCO, the following countries have closed schools so far. They are:

• Albania
• Algeria
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• China (including Hong Kong and Macao)
• Czech Republic
• El Salvador
• Georgia
• Greece
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Moldova
• Mongolia
• North Korea
• North Macedonia
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea
• United Arab Emirates

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Here in the UK measures are being considered to close schools and delay exams as COVID-19 strengthens its grip.

On Thursday, Boris Johnson confirmed that schools are to remain open and large gatherings such as sports events and concerts will go ahead, despite the response moving into the delay phase and pressure from other European countries to follow suit.

He said: “We are now getting onto the next phase.

“This is now not just an attempt to contain the disease as far as possible but to delay its spread.

“We are considering banning major public events like sporting fixtures.

“The scientific advice is this has little effect on the spread – but it does place a burden on other public services.

“We’ve all got to be clear, this is the worst public health crisis for a generation.

“Some people compare it to seasonal flu, alas that is not right. Due to the lack of immunity this disease is more dangerous.

“It is going to spread further and I must level with you, I must level with the British public: many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”

The Prime Minister insists that all Government decisions are being driven by science and said both measures remained under consideration.

However, the decision puts England and Wales at odds with neighbouring countries.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay appeared on BBC Question Time last night and supported the government’s plan of action.

He said: “There’s an agreed position on the science and it is the science, it is the view of our top scientists across all four countries of the UK that is driving the position.

“This is something that we need to come together. We all have a concern for our constituents, but I come back to this point.

“It’s what expert advice says, it’s what the facts say and it’s what the science says that is absolutely crucial here.”

He was joined on the panel by Labour MP Louise Haigh, Pete Wishart from the SNP, the managing director of Iceland Foods, Richard Walker and Professor John Ashton.

Professor Ashton, a former director of public health in the north west, was scathing in his assessment of the Government’s performance, slamming the Prime Minister for dithering and losing control of the situation.

He said: “I am embarrassed by the situation in this country. We’ve lost the plot here.”

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