[heero_yuy]

Quote from Politico:

LONDON — U.K. government scientists have told Boris Johnson in direct terms that he has to keep secondary schools closed in January — and potentially order a stricter national lockdown than the one he implemented in November — to prevent coronavirus infections from spiraling out of control.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, the body which advises ministers on the COVID pandemic, delivered the stark new advice at a meeting last week, an adviser familiar with their conclusions said.

Led by the government's Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance, SAGE agreed that, because of the prevalence of a new strain of the virus identified in the U.K. in the autumn, the reproduction rate — known as R — would surge further above 1 in January even if the prime minister implements another November-style national lockdown in the New Year.