Covid-19 Update Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Adam Afriyie
Main Page: Adam Afriyie (Conservative - Windsor)Department Debates - View all Adam Afriyie's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(3 years, 11 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Matt Hancock
Because people in their 60s are more likely to die from covid than people who are younger.
Adam Afriyie (Windsor) (Con)
Our world-leading vaccines programme will mean that deaths and hospitalisations for serious ill health will fall massively—probably to normal levels by around 8 March, when the top four priority groups will have been vaccinated. I am glad to hear the Secretary of State confirm that our top priority must be to open schools first and then move on, because parents are desperate to have schools opened, teachers want schools opened, businesses want schools opened and—God bless them—even our children are desperate to have schools opened. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that schools will be the first to reopen on or before 8 March?
Matt Hancock
I can confirm what the Prime Minister has set out: schools will be the first in the queue for reopening. We will consider the data in the middle of this month, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will set out a statement after that, and we will give two weeks’ notice. Schools will not open before 8 March, and of course we will look at the data, as I set out in a previous answer.