Parents have been urged by one of England's top doctors to "control their teenagers" outside school to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Speaking at the Downing Street press conference on Thursday, deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries said families should try and control teenagers' social interactions outside the "controlled environment" of school.
It comes as the Government announced plans for all children in the UK to return to school full time in September.
Dr Harries told the briefing: “The original guidance recognised that the transmission risks were potentially more in the social behaviours of the teenagers – the older children out of school – than they potentially were in school.
“School is quite a controlled environment and perhaps trying to encourage families as well – I know it is difficult because I’ve been there – but to try and control their teenagers in their social interactions outside of school as well.”
Dr Harries said the outbreak in Leicester was not caused by the return of schools, saying it was “community transmission”.
“This is not a picture of a particular focal point, and certainly not on schools.”
Dr Harries also said lessons could be held outside in order to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission.
She said: “I’m very sure that from conversations that I’ve had from some of the teachers working with Department for Education that teaching site providers are finding very innovative ways to manage that particularly for example in the summer.
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“You can have a group of children in a lesson outside and that reduces your risks instantly.”
Dr Harries also cautioned that: “A second wave is quite a possibility – that is not ruled out at all. A second peak, as in an epidemic peak, is also not ruled out.
“In fact, in pandemics you can sometimes see successive ones – so we’re talking about a second, but you can get waves and waves.”
Dr Harries said the local lockdown in Leicester is an example of what is “much more likely to happen as we go forwards”.
But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the outbreak in Leicester was “not something about schools returning”.
Mr Williamson also said that if schools do not reopen the Government would “have to take very specific action to ensure that they do”.
