Reopening of schools in spotlight at latest Liverpool Responds event

With schools set to return in September, the latest episode of our Liverpool Responds webinar series will look at what effect the ‘new normal’ may have on children and wider society.

Liverpool Responds: The New Norm will be hosted by one of the UK’s leading Covid-19 experts Professor Calum Semple, alongside guest panellists from the University of Liverpool and the city region.

In an interview this week, England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said that children are more likely to be harmed by not returning to school next month than if they catch coronavirus. He also said that risks could be minimised by having hygiene and cleaning measures in place, but warned that, as with any workplace, the risk in schools cannot be reduced to zero.

The Liverpool panel will look at the potential psychological effects of returning to school on children, what society’s ‘new normal’ might look like, and how this can be managed effectively to prevent or lessen the likelihood of a rise in the pandemic.

The panel includes Matt Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool; Councillor Barbara Murray, Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills; and Rhiannon Corcoran – Professor of Psychology and Public Mental Health.

Liverpool Responds: The New Norm takes place live, online from 10.30 on Thursday, 27 August. To find out more, please visit the event booking page.


Liverpool Responds is the University of Liverpool’s fortnightly, free online event series considering different aspects of the coronavirus pandemic, its response and the sectors affected by it. Sign up for our newsletter and event notifications: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/events/email-preferences