Covid rates 'could easily take off again' as schools reopen, deputy chief medical officer says as PM urges compliance
Video report from ITV News UK Editor Paul Brand
Coronavirus infection rates are likely to rise again as schools reopen, the prime minister has said, but he hopes a "prudent" approach to relaxing lockdown will mean they remain open.
Boris Johnson warned that Covid-19 infection levels are "still very high", adding that Monday's reopening of schools "will of course have an impact on the virus".
He urged people to continue complying with coronavirus restrictions because hospital admissions are still eight times higher than they were in the low point last summer, when restrictions from the first lockdown were relaxed.
With schools now open, the PM said it is "more vital than ever" to follow the rules.
Mr Johnson said scientists and ministers will keep a close eye on infection levels following the reopening of school, adding he hopes to "continue on this roadmap".
England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries, speaking alongside the PM at the press conference, said coronavirus in the UK is currently at a level from which "a new wave could easily take off again from".
But she played down suggestions schools may be forced to close again if new cases emerge.
She told a No.10 news conference: "I think we can be very optimistic going forward.
"The testing programme in schools should mean that the likelihood of a case going into a school and then numbers of children having to come out of education to isolate should be very significantly reduced.
"There may be a very short period at the start of this programme where everybody gets used to it and a larger number of children come out of school and then it will settle down.
"It is really important when observing this that people think through the next three to four weeks, not the first one or two."
Mr Johnson, asked whether the roadmap out of lockdown could speed up if data continues to be positive, said: "We've just got to remain prudent and the whole point about this road map is it is intended to be cautious but irreversible and we think we can do that because of the success of the vaccine rollout.
"I think people would really rather trade some urgency and some haste in favour of security and certainty about those dates that we have set out."
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He asked the public to "remember where we were last summer", when restrictions were lifted with infections at a much lower level, "and we saw what happened with the spike".
"There is a big budget of risk involved in opening schools as we are today," he said.
The prime minister said one third of the "entire population" has now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
Government data up to March 7 shows that of the 23,519,898 jabs given in the UK so far, 22,377,255 were first doses - a rise of 164,143 on the previous day.
Some 1,142,643 were second doses, an increase of 20,241.
The weekly supply of coronavirus vaccines is due to double next week, from two million to four million doses.
The press conference comes on the day England took its first steps out lockdown, with schools reopening and care home residents allowed visits more regularly.
Restrictions on outdoor socialising have also been slightly relaxed, with people now allowed to meet one other person outdoors for recreation, not just exercise - meaning two people could now meet for a coffee in a part, rather than for a jog.
Coronavirus deaths increased by 65 when figures were updated on Monday, and the number of new daily cases was 4,712.
The most recent daily death toll, across a seven day average is 206 deaths, the prime minister said, and the most recent average number of daily cases is 5,889.
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