Full England lockdown will last until at least March 8

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The coronavirus lockdown in England will last until at least March 8 and possibly even longer, depending on the success of the vaccine rollout, Boris Johnson has confirmed. 

Speaking in the Commons the Prime Minister said that schools will be the first to reopen as the country comes out of lockdown.

The third England-wide lockdown began on January 5 - although during the second in November schools were not shut.

Boris Johnson told the Commons: "The first sign of normality beginning to return should be pupils going back to their classrooms.

"I know how parents and teachers need as much certainty as possible including two weeks' notice of the return of face-to-face teaching.

"So I must inform the House that for the reasons I have outlined it will not be possible to reopen schools immediately after the February half-term.

"But I know how frustrating that will be for pupils and teachers who want nothing more than to get back to the classroom.

"And for parents and for carers who spent so many months juggling their day jobs, not only with home schooling but meeting the myriad other demands of their children from breakfast until bedtime."

Mr Johnson will speak to the nation in a press conference from Downing Street at 5pm today.