UK shuts down schools, cancels exams in Coronavirus lockdown

Schools in UK will shut down from Friday until furr tice and exams scheduled for May and June have been cancelled as country goes into furr lockdown to combat spre of coronavirus pandemic, with death toll in UK rising to 104 and confirmed cases hitting 2,626 on Wednesday.

"We think w that we must apply furr downward pressure with that urd curve by closing schools," said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at his daily briefing from 10 Downing Street in London.

"This does mean that exams will t take place as planned in May and June but we will make sure that children do get qualifications y need," he said.

And as London is being said to be hotspot of COVID-19 spre in UK, Johnson did t rule out a London-specific lockdown at a later date to curb outbreak.

"We've always said that we are going to do right measures at right time," he said, in reference to shutting out UK capital from rest of country.

UK PM said as health workers and or key workers such as police personnel and people who deliver food and essentials will have to continue to go to work, special provisions will be me for ir children.

"For many parents this will be frustrating and it will make it harder for m to go out to work. That is why we are w working on furr measures to ensure that we support t only businesses, but individuals and ir families to keep ecomy going," he said.

His anuncement followed UK education secretary Gavin Williamson informing House of Commons of school closures in England.

devolved governments of Scotland and Wales h alrey anunced school closures from Friday.

"I can confirm that we will t go ahe with assessments or exams and that we will t be publishing performance tables for this acemic year. We will work with sector and Ofqual to ensure that children get qualifications that y need," Williamson told Parliament.

UK government says it also plans to more than double number of coronavirus tests being carried out in England to 25,000 a day.

latest set of measures enhances level of semi-lockdown alrey in place in UK, where everyone is vised to avoid n-essential contact with ors.

"We believe that steps we have alrey taken, toger with those I am anuncing today, are alrey slowing spre of disease. But we will t hesitate to go furr and faster in days and weeks ahe and we will do whatever it takes so that we beat it toger," Johnson said.

Dr Jenny Harries, UK's Deputy Chief Medical officer, said during Downing Street briefing: "We have taken measures that maximise impact on health and safety while minimising impact of how we live. It’s t to do with safety of children, but it is about a background level to reduce social contact."

Sir Patrick Vallance, government’s Chief Scientific viser, ded: "It’s important to stress and this is really critical it is t because schools are dangerous places for children. y are at least risk. It’s also t a dangerous place for teachers.

" reason for this (school closures) is just because it can kck down furr transmission of this disease. To bring it down and protect those people who might get a much more serious version."