Three points/criteria that should be addressed by those who are calling for all schools to be closed.

But first, in response to those who think I am downplaying/unaware of the impact of COVID on patients and the NHS, nothing could be further from the truth.

It's why I volunteered to to back to the COVID frontline. And why I have also highlighted the indirect harms of excessive COVID admissions to other patients many times. And why I have consistently called on everyone to follow all measures to control the spread of the virus.

But I have also stressed the need for these measures to be evidence-based, proportionate and targeted, so as to minimise overall harm.

Back to the 3 criteria-

1. That there is evidence that closing schools actually reduces hospital admissions and deaths

2. That this will produce more overall benefit than harm / produce the best overall long-term outcome

3. That there is no reasonable, alternative option which produces less overall harm.

Based on these criteria, the evidence to date & SAGEs own assessment in November on the impact of COVID on children; teachers; and the role of children and schools in transmission, it was rightly decided schools should stay open last term when some called for them to be closed.

So those now calling for school closures again should provide the evidence that this will significantly decrease hospital admissions and deaths; that it would produce less overall harm over the long term; and that there is no better alternative.

Links to relevant evidence and references in the article below. https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2020/12/raghib-ali-why-we-should-put-our-children-first-and-keep-schools-open.html