Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told MPs it will not be possible to reopen schools “immediately after the February half term”.

Boris Johnson said he hoped it would be safe to begin the reopening of England’s schools from March 8.

It comes the day after Mr Johnson gave a press conference during which he said he takes “full responsibility” for everything the government has done during the pandemic.

More than 100,000 people have died with coronavirus in the UK after a further 1,631 deaths within 28 days of testing positive for the virus recorded in the daily figures.

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 said children eligible for food parcels or vouchers will receive these until they return to school.

He said: “As we are extending the period of remote learning beyond the middle of February I can confirm that the Government will prolong arrangements for providing free school meals with those eligible children not in school including food parcels and the national voucher scheme until they have returned to school.”

Mr Johnson also said a “programme of catch-up” would be put in place for pupils as well as summer schools.

He added: “We will provide a programme of catch-up over the next financial year and this will involve a further £300 million of new money for schools for tutoring.

“And we will work in collaboration with the education sector to develop specific initiatives for summer schools and the Covid premium to support catch-up.”

Mr Johnson also announced new border restrictions for travellers arriving in the UK from certain countries.

He said: “I want to make clear that under the stay at home regulations, it is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes and we will enforce this at ports and airports by asking people why they are leaving and instructing them to return home if they do not have a valid reason to travel.

“We have also banned all travel from 22 countries where there is a risk of known variants including South Africa, Portugal and South American nations.

“And in order to reduce the risk posed by UK nationals and residents returning home from these countries, I can announce that we will require all such arrivals who cannot be refused entry to isolate in Government provided accommodation, such as hotels, for 10 days without exception.

“They will be met at the airport and transported directly into quarantine. The Department of Health and Social Care is working to establish these facilities as quickly as possible.”

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