UK government hopeful to get go-ahead for schools reopening - PM's spokesman

Britain's government hopes it will get the go-ahead from scientists to proceed with the return of some pupils to schools on June 1 and be able to work on ways to increase social contact, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said.

"The final decision will be taken as part of the formal review into lockdown measures which the law requires us to undertake by Thursday. So that formal review will happen tomorrow and we are hopeful, without prejudging it, that we will be able to proceed with the reopening of schools on June 1," the spokesman told reporters on Wednesday.

"The health secretary set out ... that we were looking at ways in which we could safely increase social contact between households. That work's ongoing and when we are in a position to set out more detail we will do so."