Addressing lawmakers in the House of Commons (lower house of Parliament) on Wednesday,  UK PM Boris Johnson acknowledged parents' frustration with school closure and hopes to begin reopening England's schools from March 8. A firm decision would be taken in the week of February 22, after the spring half-term, which is the date the government had originally hoped schools would reopen, PM added. 

An approximate date March 8 date was given based on the thinking that if the National Health Service (NHS) is successful in vaccinating the four most vulnerable groups by mid-February, he explained, adding that there was no enough data yet to decide when to end the current lockdown. Boris government hopes other lockdown restrictions could begin to be gradually eased at some point after schools reopen, but pupils returning to class would be the "first sign of normality", the Prime Minister added. 

Johnson said teachers in the top nine priority groups would be vaccinated as a "matter of priority". More than 6.8 million people in Britain have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, the latest official NHS figures showed. The UK is going well in its plan to deliver a first dose to 15 million of the most vulnerable by mid-February and to offer all adults their first dose by autumn, according to vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi. 

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