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Reopening primary schools will be top priority in secret ‘roadmap’ to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions
SCHOOLKIDS will be a top priority as the Government draws up a secret “roadmap” to ease Britain out of lockdown.
They believe getting them back into the classrooms is the key to getting the nation moving again.
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And primary schools are expected to be on the agenda when Boris Johnson unveils his timetable for lifting the restrictions next week.
The PM has been encouraged by evidence under-13s are much less vulnerable to coronavirus infection than adults.
If youngsters were back in class, it would not only get them learning again but free up parents to return to work where possible.
Sources confirm that it is at the centre of Government planning but one stressed: “It’s still some way off. It’s far too early to put a date on it.
“Schools will be out for a little longer yet but they’re definitely a top priority.”
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has taken charge of a secret operation to get Britain geared up for a return to normal life.
He is running five separate teams of officials drawing up plans for how to end the lockdown.
They have gathered evidence for an exit strategy covering schools, transport, public spaces, recreation and workplaces.
The schools working group has held a series of meetings with scientific advisers to devise a safe plan for re-starting lessons.
Mr Johnson told The Sun on Sunday: “One of the things we want to do as fast as we can is get certainly primary schools back.
“It’s not going to be easy but that’s where we want to go. It’s about working out a way to do it.”
On Thursday, he will set out how he plans to “un-lock” Britain after six weeks at a standstill.
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Amid signs of restlessness, he is quick to point out it must be done slowly and carefully to avoid a second spike of deadly infections.
Regions where the virus is rampant could be declared “hot zones” and subject to tighter restrictions.
Towns and cities where Covid-19 is on the decline could get greater freedoms.
Officials will monitor the impact on specific areas and introduce local lockdowns if minsters approve the idea.
Transport is causing the biggest headache as a return to work risks leading to crowded trains and buses.
Firms will be asked to limit the number of workers brought in to offices or factories — or to stagger starting times.
Mr Johnson added: “I said we would turn the tide within three months and I believe we are definitely on course to do that.
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“We’re past the peak now and we’ll be in to the second phase very soon and we’ll just have to work very hard to get every step right. I think we can.
“I’m going to try to build the maximum possible support — governed by the science — for the un-lockdown, the beginning of how we come out.
“I’ve never seen a national resolve like we have in the past couple of months. Everybody knew what needed to be done — and it was a fantastic effort.”
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