Schools will start to reopen on March 8 as the country begins to emerge from lockdown, the vaccines minister has confirmed.

Nadhim Zahawi was more emphatic than any of his colleagues have been to date, as he pushed back against suggestions that the Government was moving the goalposts on when restrictions would be lifted.

He told Sky News: "On February 22, when Parliament returns, we will publish our roadmap - first on opening schools on March 8.... then the gradual reopening of our economy."

He did not comment on what form that would take, although ministers have previously suggested primary schools could open before secondaries. Boris Johnson has repeatedly stressed his preference for a national approach.

Asked about the concerns that the focus was shifting from hospitalisations and deaths to cases, Mr Zahawi appeared to confirm that transmission was now key, saying the mid-February review would be based on "much greater evidence" of how much vaccines prevented spread of the disease. 

Yesterday, England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty confirmed the UK was past the peak, prompting calls for details on when and how lockdown will be lifted.  

Read the latest coronavirus updates here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-covid-vaccine-uk-south-africa-variant-lockdown/

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