Students could return to school without uniforms in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus, a Conservative MP has said, after some pupils were told not to wear their blazers and ties.
Andrew Lewer, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Independent Education, warned on Monday that traditional uniforms for students are at risk of "dying out".
“The last thing we want to see is it now striking at one of the great traditions of British schools, distinctive uniforms worn with pride by pupils at 90 per cent of our schools".
“As health experts such as Professor Linda Bauld have pointed out, the coronavirus risk from a school blazer or tie is minimal", he added.
The Tory MP quoted Professor Bauls, a public health expert at the University of Edinburgh, who told the Times Educational Supplement "school is not a high-risk environment" for spreading coronavirus.
Certain schools, such as Beckfoot Oakbank School in Keighley, Yorkshire, have told children to avoid wearing their blazers, ties and smart shirts, to ensure that the clothes are washed as often as possible.
As the government looks to send students back to school, parents are being asked by health authorities to wash their children's clothes daily to reduce the threat of the coronavirus, which can live for as long as three days on fabric.