Schools won’t be closed over coronavirus fears – but will be forced to ditch foreign trips

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SCHOOLS won’t be closed over coronavirus fears – but will be forced to ditch foreign trips.

Boris Johnson today confirmed schools would stay open because closing them could actually make things worse.

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Boris Johnson said schools will stay open for now

The Prime Minister made the announcement after chairing a meeting of Cobra where it was decided Britain would move to the “delay phase“.

Speaking at a press conference, he said: “At all stages we have been guided by the science and we will do the right things at the right time.

“We are not closing schools now, the scientific advice is that this could do more harm than good at this time.

“Of course we are keeping this under review and this may change as the disease spreads.

“Schools should only close if they are specifically advised to do so.”

The PM has decided to keep schools open despite Ireland announcing it would shut its down until the end of March to try and stop the spread.

And up to 10,000 people could have the virus at the moment in the UK – and won’t know it, experts predicted.

Boris described the outbreak the “worst public health crisis in a generation” and “it will spread further” as he revealed new measures to try.

He told the nation: “Many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”

New advice for coronavirus

The PM admitted there would be “severe disruption”, but the Government was ready to adapt to keep people safe.

He said: “We have a clear plan that we are now working through, and we are now getting to the next phase in that plan because this is now just an attempt to contain the disease as far as possible but to delay its spread and contain it thereby minimise the suffering.

“If we delay the peaks by even a few weeks, then our NHS will be in a stronger state as the weather improves and fewer people suffer from normal respiratory diseases, and there will be more beds available and we will have more time for medical research.

“We can also act to stretch the peak of the disease over a longer period so that our society is better able to cope.”