Boris Johnson’s omicron announcement – Christmas & New Year pub visits at risk could be CANCELLED because of mutated covid strain

Dozens of schools SHUT for Christmas

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said schools nationwide are seeing “severely low attendance” as the Omicron variant spreads. .

It comes as Downing Street last night insisted that keeping schools open was a “national priority” and that they should be the last to close.

But as cases soar across the country, some schools have been left with no choice but to close.

Mr Barton told BBC Radio 4’s Today’s Today programme: “Listening to the speculation and the news, and certainly the emails I get from members, you’re getting some very low engagement, in part. are young people, part employees.

“One (school) emailed me this morning saying 25% of the staff were out of work for three weeks, can you imagine if you can’t get a supply of teachers then it’s very difficult to maintain quality of education.

He added: “These decisions are not made by a principal.

“It’s not someone saying ‘we’re going to close schools because Christmas might come early’ – this is public health advice.