Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

UK schools’ reopening could see Covid-19 cases multiply rapidly but it’s ‘not certain,’ Professor Lockdown warns

UK schools’ reopening could see Covid-19 cases multiply rapidly but it’s ‘not certain,’ Professor Lockdown warns

The UK might need to hold off on easing Covid-19 restrictions if it wants its schools to re-open without triggering a new viral outbreak, epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, who once prompted London to impose a strict lockdown, warns.
Secondary schools throughout the UK could become new centers of infection as soon as the educational facilities fully re-open in September, Ferguson warned in his latest alarming forecast.

“The risk then is that big schools, comprehensives, universities and FE colleges, link lots of households together, reconnecting the social network,” the scientist told BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ program. “That poses a real risk of amplification of transmission, of case numbers going up quite sharply.”

Ferguson formerly headed the team of epidemiologists at Imperial College London that warned that 500,000 Brits would die from coronavirus unless strict lockdown measures were imposed. While the official number is nowhere near this figure – 46,364 deaths linked to Covid-19 as of Wednesday – Ferguson now warns that that the easing of restrictions could send it through the roof.

He claims the return of teenagers to high schools could increase the virus reproduction value – a marker showing how quickly the epidemic spreads – by “as much as a half.”

Under such circumstances, the government must be ready for “all contingencies” and might even need to reverse some of its policies aimed at easing the Covid-19 restrictions, Ferguson believes.

The reasons for such a grim forecast is that it “looks like older teenagers can transmit just as well as adults,” he says, adding that the evidence was not irrefutable.

Ferguson was dubbed ‘Professor Lockdown’ after suggesting the UK population should be in no rush to return to normal life until at least next spring – all in the name of public safety.

He then got caught violating the rules he so ardently championed by meeting with his married lover at the very time when such “social interactions” were forbidden. The scandal forced Ferguson to resign from SAGE – the government’s scientific advisory group.

Later, he backtracked on his own recommendations, admitting that the strict lockdown London imposed, in part due to his advice, had made no difference when it came to the UK’s success in tackling the disease in comparison to other nations, such as Sweden, which did not introduce such tight restrictions.

Schools are currently preparing for all children to return to their desks in September and follow the existing government health guidelines, Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the UK’s National Association of Head Teachers, has said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×