Thread by @paulwaugh

Extraordinary 'evidence' session right now with Osama Rahman, Chief Scientific Adviser and Director of Analysis, Department for Education, before the @CommonsSTC.
He doesn't know who many under-18s have died from Covid-19.

When asked by @halfon4harlowMP what underpinned DfE decision to reopen schools on June 1, he says "that was not a departmental decision, that was a Cabinet decision following advice from SAGE"

Asked by @zarahsultana what assessment he has made on how effectively the new govt guidance on schools can be implemented, the DfE's chief scientific adviser replied: "I haven't."

He then said the DfE is "going to be working with PHE" on the first draft of advice and "I'm sure we will be discussing this with PHE and others". So the guidance issued this week didn't have the sign off of the DfE's own chief scientist?

He stressed that the June 1 reopening "is dependent on a bunch of conditions being met".

In answer to @CMonaghanSNP he said: "The view is that there's no evidence to suggest that children transmit the virus any more than adults.

"There are some studies which suggest that they might transmit the less than adults, this evidence is mixed, it's quite early and so there's a low degree of confidence. What I would say is currently the evidence would suggest that they might transmit it less."

Extraordinary answer here.
@CMonaghanSNP: "So, since there's a low degree of confidence, we are potentially putting together hundreds of potential vectors, that can then go and transmit. Is that correct?"
The DfE chief scientist: "Possibly, depending on school sizes."

.@CMonaghanSNP's face said it all after that answer.

Full story here:
huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/school-r…

On this and more, here's the latest WaughZone
huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-sta…