M
inisters have bowed to pressure from scientists and teaching unions to delay the return to the classroom for secondary school children (and some primary school children) in England.
But how strong is the evidence that schools are a major cause of the spread of this virus?
The basic facts are not disputed. The Office for National Statistics’ large-scale random weekly survey (released on 24 December) shows that rates in the run-up to Christmas were considerably higher for children than adults.
