Top scientists advising the government have warned it that the full reopening of schools is only just beginning to impact on rising Covid-19 infections.

New papers from the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) group also reveal that it told ministers last month that “a circuit breaker lockdown” was needed in order to stop the rising number of coronavirus cases.

Scientists also advised that teaching at all colleges and universities should be online unless “face-to-face teaching is absolutely essential”.

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The document, from a meeting held on 21 September says: “Covid-19 incidence is increasing across the country in all age groups. The effect of opening of schools, colleges and universities has only just begun to affect this increase.

“Even so the latest data suggests that the doubling time for new infections could currently be as short as seven days nationally.” 

It also warns that Covid-19 related hospitalisations have increased and says that a package of measures is needed to reverse this “exponential rise in cases”.

It adds that “single interventions by themselves are unlikely to reverse the rise in cases”.

SAGE made five recommendations, including a circuit breaker lockdown for a short period to “return incidence to low levels.”

It had previously been reported that a nationwide lockdown in October during the half-term break has been proposed as a way to contain a second wave of rapidly spreading coronavirus infection.

The new minutes from SAGE show this recommendation being made but it does not mention when this should happen - only that it was needed now as part of a package of measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.

SAGE minutes