Schools in Britain are set to reopen on Monday for the first time since being closed down 10 weeks ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Several concerned parents said however, that they planned on keeping their children at home, amid concerns that the British government was moving too fast. 

Britain has begun to gradually lift some of its restrictions, including restarting school lessons for younger children, up to six people being allowed to gather outside, the reopening of outdoor markets and resuming elite competitive sport without spectators. Over 2 million of the most vulnerable people will no longer be prohibited from spending time outdoors, Reuters reports.

The UK has so far recorded one of the highest death tolls resulting from Covid-19. As a result, many fear that the easing of certain restrictions is happening to soon, including a number of professionals who have warned the government that such a move could lead to a second wave of infections. 

“The overall view from SAGE - the scientific advisory group on emergencies which advises the government - their overall view is that we must do this cautiously and that is precisely what we are doing,” business minister Alok Sharma told BBC TV.

“These are very cautious steps that we are taking,” he said, while adding it was a “very sensitive moment”.

Ministers have been struggling to revive a battered economy, which has been hit by the effects of a lockdown imposed to limit the spread of the virus. 

The government said that the lifting of some restrictions on Monday only represents a limited easing, but several have warned that the country is not prepared for the changes to be made, and that an increasing amount of people are ignoring the rules on social distancing. 

 

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