Schools could close again in January to help stop spread of Omicron, health secretary says

Sajid Javid has suggested that schools could be forced to close after Christmas in the fight against the Omicron variant.

Appearing on LBC this morning, the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools to protect the country from a wave of the Omicron variant, warning: “When it comes to our fight against this pandemic, there are no guarantees.”

He continued: “I don’t want to see that or any of these kinds of measures. I think I’d say this… if you’re asking me for guarantees, I will just say – as the health secretary of course, I’m not the education secretary – there are, when it comes to our fight against this pandemic, there are no guarantees.

“But what we do know that works is, in this case, a booster shot of a vaccine. This vaccine still is incredibly effective with a booster shot and that’s why we’re so focussed on it.”

Javid also addressed the NHS potentially postponing planned surgeries and non-urgent appointments in order to free up resources for the booster rollout, saying: “We are in another race against the virus.

“We must get more booster jabs out there without delay… They were important before, but they have never, ever been so important.

“This is our best way of dealing with this new variant, and please do come forward to protect yourselves, to protect your loved ones and your community.”

However, Javid’s comments have been met with a wave of backlash by concerned parents, who have pointed out that children have ‘suffered enough’. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has previously said keeping children in classrooms is a ‘national priority’, with schools being expected to be the last to close in any new lockdown.

Last night, the PM announced that booster jabs will be offered to everyone over the age of eighteen in a pre-recorded message to the nation. 

He said the target to vaccinate all adults by the end of January will be brought forward by a month in a bid to combat the rising Omicron infection rates, noting that ‘no one should be in any doubt, there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming.’