Addressing the Education Select Committee regarding school closures amid the coronavirus pandemic, Dr Harries added: “So I think on the broad epidemiology it is highly likely that when we come out of this national lockdown we will not have consistent patterns of infection in our communities across the country.
“And therefore, as we had prior to the national lockdown, it may well be possible that we need to have some differential application.”
Dr Harries said ensuring a balance of wellbeing and education is a priority.
She said: “Schoolchildren definitely can transmit infection in schools – they can transmit it in any environment – but it is not a significant driver as yet, as far as we can see, of large-scale community infections.”
