here on bbc news. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. secondary schools in england have been told that children should wear face coverings in classrooms to help stop the omicron covid—19 variant from disrupting the new term. the move brings england in line with the rest of the uk. unions have welcomed the advice while also warning that staff shortages could once again lead to some children being taught at home. sanchia berg reports. in scotland, pupils have been wearing masks as they learn with the windows open for the last few months. the picture is similar now in northern ireland and wales. next week, english secondary school students will follow suit as the government tries to reduce the spread of covid—19 in schools. around half of children over 12 have been double jabbed — not enough to keep the virus out. the face coverings is very much a short—term measure, simply until the 26th of january when it will be reviewed because we recognise it is not something many children will want to wear. it recognises the priority of ensuring face—to—face education is made available, that is our number one priority. some are worried that this could affect children's learning which has been so disrupted for the last two years. there is very low risk to children so i'm very wary, i will listen to what the government says, but i am very wary about imposing masks on children in schools because i worry about their well—being and their mental health, which is already suffering because of school closures over lockdown. but it's backed for now by the teaching unions. if this is a short—term fix as the government says and one of a number of different measures including ventilation and moving ofsted to the sidelines, if that is going to do what we all want and keep young people in their school rooms and college, that, i think, will be a price worth paying. no—one wants to return to remote learning for children were isolated, some put at risk. but headteachers are looking at contingency plans in case staff are hit covid when schools return next week. sanchia berg, bbc news. giselle lynch is headteacher at st augustine of canterbury high school in st helen's. what school in st helen's. do you make of this move, at the what do you make of this move, about the masks being required by pupils in classrooms? we the masks being required by pupils in classrooms?— in classrooms? we won't have a difficulty with — in classrooms? we won't have a difficulty with that, _ in classrooms? we won't have a difficulty with that, we've - in classrooms? we won't have a difficulty with that, we've had i difficulty with that, we've had masks for all pupils in communal areas since september. we had an oprah kelly in september, brought back masks in communal areas —— we had an outbreak in september. we've provided them where necessary so i think this a step to having them actually in the classroom again as we have previously want to be an onerous step for us, particularly if it's in the short term and it ensures pupils can come into school safely. ensures pupils can come into school safel . ., , , , ensures pupils can come into school safel . ., , , ., ensures pupils can come into school safel . , , ., ., , safely. has it seems to work? just anecdotally _ safely. has it seems to work? just anecdotally in _ safely. has it seems to work? just anecdotally in terms _ safely. has it seems to work? just anecdotally in terms of _ safely. has it seems to work? just anecdotally in terms of the - safely. has it seems to work? just | anecdotally in terms of the number of cases that have emerged at your school. ~ , ,., , ., of cases that have emerged at your school. ~ ,,., , ., ., ,., of cases that have emerged at your school. ~ , , ., ., , school. absolutely, and about seven da s in school. absolutely, and about seven days in early — school. absolutely, and about seven days in early september— school. absolutely, and about seven days in early september we - school. absolutely, and about seven days in early september we had - days in early september we had figures go from two cases to 52 cases in the space of a couple of days. bring back masks, we've gone down to single digits in a week. so i think this is the way forward, particularly with the omicron variant which saw transmissible. i think it's a good thing. . it not only protect our pupils, but staff as well. i only protect our pupils, but staff as well. ., , ., ., ., ,~' only protect our pupils, but staff as well. ., ., ., as well. i was going to ask your feel, do as well. i was going to ask your feel. do they — as well. i was going to ask your feel, do they feel— as well. i was going to ask your feel, do they feel the _ as well. i was going to ask your feel, do they feel the mask - as well. i was going to ask your feel, do they feel the mask is l feel, do they feel the mask is enough? feel, do they feel the mask is enou~h? v , feel, do they feelthe mask is enou~h? fl , m ., feel, do they feel the mask is enou~h? h , m enough? it's very difficult to say, we have a — enough? it's very difficult to say, we have a cleaning _ enough? it's very difficult to say, we have a cleaning regime - enough? it's very difficult to say, we have a cleaning regime we . enough? it's very difficult to say, l we have a cleaning regime we have instituted in the school and we have never deviated from that, wiping down surfaces and the way in which desks and tables are arranged in classrooms, ventilation, but the colder weather has affected that in some ways. we have never stopped our measures. the only thing we had stopped was wearing masks in the classroom, but we kept up with the one—way systems, with our sanitisation regime, everything like that was still in place because we have had this early outbreak and i think that has actually saved us in a way. we've had a lower rate of occurrence since we carried on doing that. �* , ., occurrence since we carried on doing that. �*, ., , ., . that. it's one thing protecting staff and pupils _ that. it's one thing protecting staff and pupils in _ that. it's one thing protecting staff and pupils in school - that. it's one thing protecting staff and pupils in school but| that. it's one thing protecting - staff and pupils in school but over the christmas break there has been mixing, visiting relatives and friends. what is your feeling about the potential for staff absences as the potential for staff absences as the new term looms large? i’zre the potential for staff absences as the new term looms large? i've had notification — the new term looms large? i've had notification of _ the new term looms large? i've had notification of one _ the new term looms large? i've had notification of one or _ the new term looms large? i've had notification of one or two _ the new term looms large? i've had notification of one or two cases - notification of one or two cases that have presented themselves. we should be able to manage that. what i have done and i made this decision before the christmas holidays, is we were due back on tuesday the fourth and we decided we would do testing in school and revert to online learning for those four days. tuesday through friday is online learning, testing in school on the tuesday and then a retest on the friday with a return to normal lessons wearing facemasks on monday tenth, so that's the decision i had already made. this ties in with all of that. ~ , ., ., ._ of that. with this morning today, the government _ of that. with this morning today, the government are _ of that. with this morning today, the government are saying - of that. with this morning today, the government are saying that i the government are saying that businesses and public sector organisations need to have contingency plans for ten, 20, 25% staff absences if the spread continues at the current pace. how do you do that as a school if a quarter of your staff can't come in? we have in the past had online learning where if the member of staff has been fit enough although have tested positive, they have been conducting their lessons from home if you like, remotely, to the full classroom. you still have to have someone on standby in the room as well so we've had that happen. the other thing is to join groups together in a large space like the whole. —— lake the hall. it's really trying to figure out what's best for the pupils and making sure they have a very positive experience. people like myself, i don't have a teaching timetable, i can revert to a teaching timetable if i need to in the short term. that type of thing increasing the lords of the senior staff is something we are prepared to do —— increasing the loads. public sector leaders have been told to prepare for the worst case scenario of up to a quarter of their staff being off work because of covid. the uk has seen record numbers of daily cases over the festive period. ministers have been tasked with developing "robust contingency pla ns" for workplace absences. here's our business correspondent, katie prescott. cancelled trains, delayed deliveries, closed restaurants and shut—up shops. staff shortages because of the spread of omicron are a real worry in the new year as people go back to work after the christmas break. i think it makes sense to try to plan for such events. we know we've got a very contagious variant in the uk, we know lots of people are catching the virus and naturally there will be absences throughout all businesses, really. from a retail perspective, the biggest concern will be on the supply chain in terms of making sure that that is still running at the efficiency we are used to. empty workplaces are the nightmare for government. ministers are looking atjust how bad things could get and drawing up contingency plans to try and protect against any disruption from rising infection. to try and keep the school gates open as well as hospitals and other vital services, in the public sector leaders have been asked to look at the worst—case scenarios of having ten, 20 or even 25% of their staff off at any one time. labour says that this announcement shows the government is leaving contingency planning to the very last moment. the most recent restrictions in england, set out in the government's plan b earlier in december, are expected to be reviewed this week. katie prescott, bbc news. let's speak now to dr chaand nagpaul, a gp and council chair at the british medical association, a union for doctors in the uk. doctor, what is the effect at the moment of staff absences and what if that were to increase? yes. moment of staff absences and what if that were to increase?— that were to increase? yes, we are already seeing _ that were to increase? yes, we are already seeing a — that were to increase? yes, we are already seeing a significant - that were to increase? yes, we are already seeing a significant impact| already seeing a significant impact on our ability to provide services with shortages of staff. we predicted on the 18th of december our own modelling we put out, we thought that one in ten nhs staff would be offset by this time because we could see the trajectory of infection rates rising stop remember the term, people who work in nhs are part of the general population and in london, one in ten people are infected and that will reflect on those that work in public services such as the health service. the other problem we have is that front line staff aren't able to stay at home. they are much more in contact with people and if you're a doctor or nurse or health care worker you are going to be in contact close to patients who are carrying the infection. the other problem is we are not being provided in most settings with the higher grade masks that fill treat against airborne spread so there is also the chance we can get infected at work —— masks that filtrate. many surgeries have had to be cancelled on the day so patients who may have been waiting to see their gp for two weeks find that the clinic is having to be cancelled because the gp can't come to work on a nurse or health care assistant cannot be in it to take blood so those investigations have to be cancelled. that's the sort of impact. in hospitals we are likely to see routine care, but nothing is routine if a patient has been waiting 12 months for an operation. but if you have staff shortages, you will be directing those staff for urgent admission and it will be patients waiting for routine treatments that will suffer. when the government _ treatments that will suffer. when the government says _ treatments that will suffer. when the government says brace - treatments that will suffer. when the government says brace for i treatments that will suffer. when | the government says brace for up treatments that will suffer. when the government says brace for up to 25% staff absences, if that were the worst—case scenario, one in four staff off in hospitals or gp practices, how much can you realistically do for patients? what impact does that have practically? there is no doubt that if you have 25% of the health care workforce not able to work, that will impact on patient services and care. we are already at the moment suffering record levels of waiting for ambulances for life—threatening conditions and the longest queues to be admitted, courted her waiting and so forth, and more patients trying to access their gp than ever before —— corridor waiting. this will impact patient care and that's where we are urging the government to do two or three things, bring the infection rate down so whenever we hear from infection rate down so whenever we hearfrom ministers infection rate down so whenever we hear from ministers saying the data they are looking at is really around a hospital admissions, well, hospital admissions are rising but you need to also look at the data of staff absence so we bring the infection rate down in the community and we will have fewer staff off sick. the second is protect health care staff with proper ppe so we don't get infected at work because we have to mix with patients because thatis we have to mix with patients because that is ourjob. the third thing is making sure that we have access to testing because that's also adding to staff absence because we've got health care staff over the last week who have not had access to lateral flow tests so we haven't been able to come back to work with negative tests on day six and seven and access to pcr tests so they've had to be cautious by waiting to have those tests are not coming back to work so we need to do all of those things to have staff that can serve the health service. the other thing it questions is, the government has this intention of having nightingale hospital is set up. if we don't have the staff around existing facilities, hospitals and gp practices, you won't have the staff for the nightingale units at all. thank you, doctor, for talking us through that comprehensively. let's talk to our political correspondent, nick eardley. is there any prospect of more restrictions coming on in england any time soon? i restrictions coming on in england any time soon?— any time soon? i think it looks unlikely at _ any time soon? i think it looks unlikely at the _ any time soon? i think it looks unlikely at the moment. - any time soon? i think it looks unlikely at the moment. we i any time soon? i think it looks . unlikely at the moment. we know any time soon? i think it looks - unlikely at the moment. we know that ministers in london have been saying pretty regularly over the last few days that any new restrictions would have to be a last resort? it's something they want to avoid unless necessary and hearing ministers this morning on the airwaves, they are saying the data they have at the moment does not point towards the need for more restrictions. that is despite the record number of positive cases we've seen in the last few days, i million people in the uk testing positive for covid in the uk testing positive for covid in the last seven days and the fact that in scotland, wales and northern ireland, the devolved governments have gone further with more restrictions after christmas so the message this morning from ministers is that at the moment, for england, we don't think there is enough evidence to make them change their mind on more restrictions. have a listen to the cabinet office minister stephen barclay. we don't think the data — minister stephen barclay. we don't think the data supports _ minister stephen barclay. we don't think the data supports that - minister stephen barclay. we don't think the data supports that at - minister stephen barclay. we don't think the data supports that at this | think the data supports that at this stage _ think the data supports that at this stage we — think the data supports that at this stage. we keep the data under review but we've _ stage. we keep the data under review but we've seen significant behavioural change as a result of plan b _ behavioural change as a result of plan b. the widespread use of testing — plan b. the widespread use of testing is— plan b. the widespread use of testing is an illustration of the fact that — testing is an illustration of the fact that the british public are taking — fact that the british public are taking sensible steps to keep themselves safe, to keep their friends — themselves safe, to keep their friends and family safe, that's why there _ friends and family safe, that's why there has— friends and family safe, that's why there has been such a demand for testing _ there has been such a demand for testing in— there has been such a demand for testing in recent weeks. that, combined _ testing in recent weeks. that, combined with the bristol programme, is the _ combined with the bristol programme, is the key— combined with the bristol programme, is the key way as a country that we will avoid _ is the key way as a country that we will avoid the need for further measures. will avoid the need for further measures— will avoid the need for further measures. ., ., measures. some caution from the cabinet office _ measures. some caution from the cabinet office minister _ measures. some caution from the cabinet office minister stephen i cabinet office minister stephen barclay. the health minister this morning said that he is cautiously confident that the nhs has enough to manage with the increased strain it is likely to see from omicron cases. there will be a review on wednesday of the restrictions in place at the moment. you heard from stephen barclay, at the moment it feels unlikely the ministers will bring in more rules in england. thtnd unlikely the ministers will bring in more rules in england.— more rules in england. and this warnin: more rules in england. and this warning that — more rules in england. and this warning that the _ more rules in england. and this warning that the government i more rules in england. and this i warning that the government has more rules in england. and this - warning that the government has said about the contingency planning for ten, 20, 25% absences in the public sector and firms to have contingency plans in place. what more have they said about that? you plans in place. what more have they said about that?— said about that? you saw in the ttackae said about that? you saw in the package a _ said about that? you saw in the package a few minutes - said about that? you saw in the package a few minutes ago, - said about that? you saw in the i package a few minutes ago, many said about that? you saw in the - package a few minutes ago, many of us will be familiar with some of the strain that self—isolation has put on various people over the last few weeks. that's likely to increase in the next few days. i think that a number of businesses who are frustrated that more hasn't been done already. we've had a lot of calls for more action. what the prime minister said this morning is that he wants ministers to go away and to come up with contingency plans for various levels of absence rate up to... what we don't have is that comprehensive plan in place yet, it hasn't been completely sorted out by the government and i suspect there will be some who want to see it quite rapidly. police scotland believe a fire at a covid testing centre was started deliberately. it happened in dumbarton shortly after midnight yesterday. officers say an item was thrown at a canopy causing it to catch fire. no one was injured and testing at the site has not been affected. ajudge in the united states has thrown out prince andrew's attempt to halt proceedings in a civil lawsuit against him. the duke of york's lawyers had argued that virginia giuffre — who has accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager — lives in australia, so is not a us resident. prince andrew has consistently denied the allegations. aruna iyengar has this report. seen here at the age of 17, virginia roberts, now giuffre, with prince andrew on the left and ghislaine maxwell in the background. ms giuffre has accused prince andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager at the homes ofjeffrey epstein, the convicted child sex offender, and ghislaine maxwell. prince andrew has consistently denied the allegations. the civil lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. two efforts to stall the case were blocked on saturday. us federaljudge lewis a kaplan told the prince's lawyers they must hand over key legal documents before a crucial court hearing in new york on tuesday. he also rejected arguments by the prince's lawyer, andrew brettler, that the lawsuit should be dismissed because ms giuffre, a us citizen, no longer lives in the us. this comes after ghislaine maxwell was convicted this week of recruiting and trafficking young girls to be sexually abused by her boyfriend, the late american financier jeffrey epstein, between 1994 and 200a. on tuesday, judge kaplan will hear oral arguments to decide whether virginia giuffre's lawsuit against prince andrew will proceed. aruna iyengar, bbc news. football supporters at this afternoon's match between chelsea and liverpool will be the first to take part in a safe standing trial. standing terraces were banned at most grounds in 1994, following the hillsborough stadium disaster. ministers say safety is paramount — some police chiefs have expressed concern about fans moving into standing areas from other parts of the stadium. i think it's a significant moment for football. i think it's a significant moment forfootball. these were i think it's a significant moment for football. these were measures brought in after the hillsborough tragedy and the taylor report and those measures have served us well for belsay for 30 years so i think anything we do to alter those messages is significant —— served us well for football for 30 years. this has been in since the start of the season, obviously the clubs had to put the engineering work on, and we have seen some positive experience but also challenging experience so from our perspective on policing, we think it is an opportunity to implement this in a way that's really safe. some of the recommendations we made have not been implemented yet as part of this pilot. some of the concerns we've got are, if crowds are stood up, it's easier to throw missiles, engage and hit chanting, racism, sneaking in alcohol —— hate chanting, and in modern stadiums you can migrate all around the stadium so the concern as you get crushing issues if it becomes overloaded and it's quite an exclusionary crowd. i'm nowjoined by liverpool fan, gareth roberts, from the anfield wrap podcast who has been a supporter of safe standing. you heard some of the concerns they are. forthose you heard some of the concerns they are. for those resonate with you? not at all, i don't really understand any of this points because there is already standing at the match and there has been for a long time. the issue is the standing was taking place in venue that was made for seating, with not enough space between the rows. anyone who has gone home and away watching the football team for years like i have will have war wounds that they can show on their shins and their legs where they've fallen over the seats in front, behind, where they've fallen over the seats infront, behind, and where they've fallen over the seats in front, behind, and it's a miracle there hasn't been serious injuries are worse. fans like myself have been campaigning for bespoke areas for standing at football grounds and that's what we finally got. mark doesn't seem to acknowledge at all that this improves safety and all of the things you mentioned, i don't see those things at football matches. ., see those things at football matches— see those things at football matches. ., ., , , ., matches. how does it improve safety? i've been matches. how does it improve safety? i've been to — matches. how does it improve safety? i've been to celtic _ matches. how does it improve safety? i've been to celtic park _ matches. how does it improve safety? i've been to celtic park where - matches. how does it improve safety? i've been to celtic park where there i i've been to celtic park where there is a safe standing section and the difference is that where i mentioned you could fall over the seats in front or behind while celebrating a goalfor front or behind while celebrating a goal for example, front or behind while celebrating a goalfor example, at front or behind while celebrating a goal for example, at celtic park and noah chelsea and various other grounds, there is a bar in front of you, at chest level, and one behind you, at chest level, and one behind you at bike level. —— outback level. you cannot fall forwards or backwards, there cannot be a domino effect. you can celebrate goals, you can sing and shout and enjoy yourself and stand up safely and watch the football. what we've had for the best part of 30 years of people standing up watching football in an unsafe manner so this improves that situation. mark doesn't mention their the improvement in safety which i find flabbergasted in. —— what i find interesting is you support this move to safe standing but there will be some liverpool fans with memories of hillsborough who still feel very uncomfortable about this. ~ , ,., , who still feel very uncomfortable about this— who still feel very uncomfortable about this. ~ , , , ., about this. absolutely unders been a lot of work to — about this. absolutely unders been a lot of work to educate _ about this. absolutely unders been a lot of work to educate people - about this. absolutely unders been a lot of work to educate people that i lot of work to educate people that felt that way because hillsborough was no fault of the fans, it was knocked down to people standing up watching a football match. mark roberts references the taylor report. the taylor report replaces the blame for the hillsborough disaster squarely at the tours of the police force —— places the blame on the police. it was not the fault of the fans in a standing situation. it's worth saying the situation over the rail seating is1 million miles away from the terraces of the 1980s. i stood on the old kop and liverpool could score a goal and you could end “p could score a goal and you could end up anywhere else. you could be scooped up by the crowd and taken anywhere else —— cop. you cannot move forward, you cannot move backwards in this situation, it's a safe standing area. that's the big difference and the fans union in liverpool did a survey of liverpool fans and i think it was 2018, they surveyed 18,000 liverpool fans and there was 88% support for safe standing. you can see there are some negative associations, wrongly as i say, that should be down to the incompetence of the police, but that education has taken place and there is a big support now for safe standing and hopefully we see that put in place properly at anfield in years to come. is put in place properly at anfield in years to come-— years to come. is there any advantage _ years to come. is there any advantage to _ years to come. is there any advantage to having - years to come. is there any i advantage to having standing years to come. is there any - advantage to having standing areas when people have gotten used to being in seated areas over the years? being in seated areas over the ears? �* , . ., . ~ being in seated areas over the ears? �*, ~ being in seated areas over the ears? �*, my years? it's the choice. at any other s-tortin years? it's the choice. at any other sporting event. _ years? it's the choice. at any other sporting event, you _ years? it's the choice. at any other sporting event, you have _ years? it's the choice. at any other sporting event, you have that - sporting event, you have that choice, even lower down the football league is you have the choice whether you want to sit or stand and that's traditionally what you had. the cop and anfield road, there were standing areas and terraces where it if you went in the main stand you could sit down. a lot of people are more comfortable standing up watching football, it's the way they've always done it and because of the passion and the way people support their teams, you find yourselves on your feet more often than not. people who go home and away watching their team will recognise that away games across the league, the cop at anfield will stand up for 90 minutes so the standing up is occurring anyway and has been for a long time. we've been asking for is for the areas on the grounds to reflect that people want to stand and allow them to do so safely. to stand and allow them to do so safel . ., ~ to stand and allow them to do so safel . ., ,, y ., y to stand and allow them to do so safel . . ~' y ., y . a fire has broken out at the south african houses of parliament. dozens of firefighters have been tackling the blaze in cape town. the flames spread quickly when the historic buildings sprinkler system failed to activate. our south african correspondent nomsa maseko has more. an historic building on fire. plumes of smoke engulfing the south african parliament. more than 60 firefighters battling to extinguish the blaze. the fire started on the third floor offices and quickly spread to the national assembly chamber. the damage is extensive. and there are fears in some parts of the structure, which was built in the late 1800s, could collapse. the entire parliamentary complex is severely damaged, waterlogged and smoke damaged. so there is going to be damage extensively. the roof above the old assembly chamber, the old assembly hall, is completely gone. many high—profile south african politicians including president cyril ramaphosa were in cape town for the funeral of archbishop desmond tutu, which took place at st george's cathedral, a block away from the parliament precinct. this is devastating news. it is a terrible and devastating event. particularly after we gave the archbishop what i would call the best sendoff yesterday. the minister responsible for government infrastructure said firefighters managed to contain the blaze from spreading further. this is a very sad day for our democracy because parliament is the home of our democracy and parliament is helping us add a key point. no injuries have been reported and no indication what may have started the fire. fire and rescue service officials have said it could take longer to put it out completely due to carpets and wooden floors. nomsa maseko, bbc news. time for the weather with tomasz. the mild weather will continue for a couple of days but not as mild as yesterday, we were breaking records at over 16 celsius in london, the warmest new year's day on record, but it will be turning colder. at the moment we have the mild air. on the moment we have the mild air. on the edge of spain, the mild air spreading across the uk butjust hints of something colder coming out of the north. this is arctic air heading our way. we are not in for a massive blast of cold air and snow. there will be some snow around but we are talking mostly about night around the mountains through the next 21t hours or so. the winds are coming in from the southwest. a change in the wind direction in the north leads to a cold front and this is early tomorrow morning, five vm, —— 5am, and this weather front will bring snow to the mountains of scotland and through the lowlands there could be a bit of wintriness first thing in the morning. that weather front through the middle of the afternoon is across the english, scottish border, in northern ireland, south of that, mild, our 12 celsius. tomorrow evening, that's when the weather front starts to make its journey further south. when the weather front starts to make itsjourney further south. a little bit of snow where we have the contrast between the mild and the cold, we have west southwesterly winds. minus is 2 celsius in edinburgh and glasgow saw a slow process for this colder weather arriving because it's not going to be... if we look at the weather on tuesday, that northerly is coming in and you can see wintry showers across scotland, one or two for northern ireland. it's nippy, hats and gloves weather with the strong wind, but it's about for the time of the year across southern parts of the year across southern parts of the uk and on wednesday we had between weather systems. once again in scandinavia, wet and