'Too early to say' if South African Covid variant will impact reopening of schools, minister says
The emergence of a fast-spreading variant of coronavirus first identified in South Africa could impact the reopening of schools in some areas, the universities minister has suggested.
Michelle Donelan, when asked if the new Covid-19 strain could delay the reopening of schools in areas where it has been identified, said "it's too early to speculate".
Some 105 cases of the mutation have been identified in England, and residents in a number of postcode areas have been warned they should take "extra special precaution" to avoid catching and spreading it.
A door-to-door testing blitz is underway, with the aim of identifying every case of the variant so carriers can isolate and avoid passing it on, but there are concerns it could have spread more widely than the eight postcode areas where it has been identified.
With the mutation being up to 50% more transmissible than the regular virus, and coronavirus levels across the UK gradually coming amid lockdown, ministers are desperate to contain the new strain and reduce the risk that it could cause cases to surge again.
The government is hoping Covid-19 levels will continue to fall, sufficiently enough to begin a phased reopening of schools from March 8.
Universities minister on the reopening of schools:
The plan is to first reopen primary schools after a review of England's coronavirus situation on February 15, with a roadmap for an exit from lockdown due to be published on the week beginning February 22.
Ministers and experts will consider death rates, infection rates and pressure on the NHS among other aspects before deciding whether it is safe to reopen schools.
Boris Johnson's official spokesman said a decision on reopening schools will not be made before the planned review date, adding that the government will "continue to be alive to new variants and mutations".
He said the prime minister's "hope" remains that some schools can start to reopen from March 8.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned tens of thousands of people in a number of postcode areas to take "extra special precaution" in order to avoid spreading the variant.
Ms Donelan said the plan remains that from March 8 the government will "look to reopen schools and get as many children and young people in universities back as we possibly can, based on that data".
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When asked to confirm experts don't yet know enough to make a call on the impact of the South African variant on the reopening of schools, Ms Donelan said: "No, so that's exactly why the decision is being made on the week commencing the 15th [of February]."
She said by then ministers will have a "better picture of the impact of the rollout of the vaccination" on the UK's coronavirus outlook.
In an interview with ITV News Political Correspondent Daniel Hewitt, the universities minister also refused to say whether she thought it was fair for students to pay £9,000 tuition fees for university, despite having to work from home.
Ms Donelan admitted the current university situation for young people "is not the student experience anybody wanted them to have", but did not give a direct answer when asked several times if it is fair for students to be charged full fees.
The majority of university students in England have been told to stay at home and not return to campus under the latest lockdown, which has sparked calls for greater financial support.
She said: "Universities can decide what they charge, up to a maximum level, they've all decided to continue to charge that.
"So we've said if they're going to continue to charge that, we expect the quality to be maintained, the quantity to be maintained and for it to be accessible for all.
"If students feel they are not getting that, there is a process in place, they can make a formal complaint to their university, or they can go to the OIA which can lead to a fee refund."
It comes after the government announced that university students facing financial pressures due to the pandemic will have access to an additional £50 million support fund from the government.
Universities will be able to use the extra funding to help students facing loss of employment, additional costs for alternative accommodation, or to support access to remote teaching amid Covid-19.
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