Patrick Vallance

Why we haven’t shut the schools

From our UK edition

When we look at all of the interventions, we looked at the ones that had the biggest impact first. School closures is definitely a bit lower down the list than some of the ones that we've announced. That doesn't mean it doesn't do anything, it would have an effect.  But it has all sorts of complicated effects as well, including potentially leading to children being with grandparents and so on. And, of course, also causing an enormous problem, not just for the workforce generally, but for the workforce in the NHS as well. So it's a complicated one and all I can do is give this sort of scientific advice on that. In terms of the effect, I think as you look across the world, for example, Singapore hasn't closed schools, it's introduced some different measures in schools.

How ‘herd immunity’ can help fight coronavirus

From our UK edition

This is an edited transcript of the interview with the chief scientific advisor Sir Patrick Vallance on the Today programme this morning.Justin Webb: We can talk now to Sir Patrick Vallance, who is the government's chief scientific advisor and is on the line. Good morning to you.Sir Patrick Vallance: Good morning.JW: Could we start with sports events, which is what causes a lot of people to raise their eyebrows. And obviously we have the Cheltenham Festival, the big rugby match in Cardiff, 75,000 people tomorrow. What's your thinking, at the moment, that they should go ahead?