Sir Jeremy Farrar said that if the transmission of coronavirus continues to rise, schools could close if England’s new lockdown doesn’t prove effective, adding that secondary school students should wear face masks

A SAGE expert has warned that schools may have to shut if the new lockdown doesn’t have enough of an effect.

Sir Jeremy Farrar said that while he agrees with the lockdown which will come into force in England on Thursday, the high transmission of coronavirus in schools could make it difficult to keep them open.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “The big difference to the first lockdown is that schools remain open.

“Because we have delayed the onset of this lockdown, it does make keeping schools harder.

“We know that transmission particularly in secondary schools is high.

“Personally, I think this is definitely the lockdown to put in place now. But if that transmission particularly in secondary schools continues to rise, then that may have to be revisited in the next four weeks in order to get R below 1 and the epidemic shrinking.”