Government announce all schools across the UK will close from Friday
18 March 2020, 17:26 | Updated: 18 March 2020, 17:41
Boris Johnson has announced schools across the UK will close on Friday afternoon as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across Britain.
The Government has announced that UK schools will close from Friday afternoon.
In a press conference today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Looking at where we are now, we think now we must apply pressure on that upward curve by closing schools.
"I can announce today after schools shut their doors from Friday afternoon they will remain shut until further notice."
You can find the latest Coronavirus (Covid-19) advice from the NHS here.
The Prime Minister added that nurseries, private schools and further eduction colleges will do the same.
He added that A Level and GCSE exams will be cancelled.
The Education Secretary said today that free school meals will continue for the families who need them.
These are likely to come from their local supermarkets and will be in the form of vouchers.
The Education Secretary said in the House Of Commons: "After schools close their gates on friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice."This will be for all children except to those of key workers and children who are most vulnerable.
"The scientific evidence shows these settings are safe for this small number of children to continue attending."But asking others to stay away will go towards helping us slow the spread of this virus."
This decision comes after both Scotland and Wales announced their school closures, which are believed to last until summer.
Nicola Sturgeon said earlier today in a separate conference: "My view is that it is now inevitable that we will close schools and nurseries.
"My planning assumption is that schools will close to pupils at the end of this week. I wanted today to give parents notice of that."
She later added: "The clearest guidance I can give is that schools and nurseries will not reopen after the Easter break. "At this stage I cannot promise that they will reopen before the summer holidays."
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