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* COVID-19 cases at record levels in UK, and rising
* Children should attend school where permitted - PM
* Vaccine delivery set to accelerate on Monday
(Adds latest data)
By William James
LONDON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson said on Sunday tougher lockdown restrictions were
probably on the way as COVID-19 cases keep rising, but that
schools were safe and children should continue to attend where
permitted.
COVID-19 cases in Britain are at record levels and the
increase in numbers is fuelled by a new and more transmissible
variant of the virus. The government has cancelled the planned
reopening of schools in and around London but teaching unions
want wider closures.
Much of England is already living under the toughest level
of restriction under a four-tier system of regional regulations
designed to stop the spread of the virus and protect the
national healthcare system.
But, asked in a BBC interview about concerns that the system
may not be enough to bring the virus under control, Johnson said
restrictions "alas, might be about to get tougher".
"There are obviously a range of tougher measures that we
would have to consider ... I'm not going to speculate now about
what they would be," he said.
Johnson sets policy for England, with rules in Scotland,
Northern Ireland and Wales set by their devolved authorities.
Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said her cabinet would meet
on Monday to discuss possible further steps to limit the spread
of the virus, and ordered Scotland's parliament to be recalled.
Britain recorded 54,990 new cases of the virus on Sunday and
has registered more than 75,000 deaths from the pandemic.
The government's response has been heavily criticised. But
the rollout of vaccines is set to accelerate on Monday with the
first 530,000 doses of the newly approved Oxford/AstraZeneca
vaccines ready to be administered, Johnson said.
He hoped "tens of millions" would be treated over the next
three months.
Millions of pupils are due to return from their Christmas
holidays on Monday, and Johnson advised parents to send their
children to school in areas where rules allow it.
"There is no doubt in my mind that schools are safe, and
that education is a priority," he said.
Some local authorities and unions have warned against
reopening schools and have threatened to act against government
advice. Others say closures also have a big negative impact on
students.
"We must renew and maintain the consensus that children’s
time out of school should be kept to the absolute minimum,"
Amanda Spielman, chief schools inspector, wrote in the Sunday
Telegraph.
(Reporting by William James; Editing by Alison Williams,
William Maclean and Timothy Heritage)
