"Schools should only be opened once track and trace is in place": former Chief Medical Officer

26 May 2020, 14:02 | Updated: 26 May 2020, 20:23

The former Chief Medical Officer told LBC explicitly that schools should only be opened once track and trace is in place.

This was in response to Michael Gove who told LBC a test, track and trace system for coronavirus will be in place by June 1, just three days away.

The Prime Minister has promised a "world-beating" track and trace system to be launched June 1 - the same day as schools are set to gradually reopen.

The former Chief Medical Officer said his independent science advisory group would not be happy to see further easing of lockdown before until the system is "very clearly in place."

"I think it should be very very clear thee independent SAGE group...are clear we should not return to school, we should not undo any other aspect of the lockdown until the test, trace and isolation policy is fully in place," Professor Sir David King said.

"The estimate is around 120,000 people in Britain today have the virus and the problem is that's a large number. It's far larger than it should have been if we'd acted earlier. Nevertheless, that's the number that have to be tested, traced and isolated."

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