BBC News Coronavirus

A senior GP has urged schools to relax uniform rules, claiming poor families cannot afford to wash them every day to stop the spread of Covid-19.

At Walsall Council meeting, Dr Anand Rischie, chairman of Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group, said schools should be more tolerant of children wearing non-uniform clothing.

“Walsall is a very poor borough," he said. “Parents will not be able to run their washing machines every day for those uniforms to be cleaned." He added the evidence was still unclear on how long it took for coronavirus to degrade, so washing clothes was "key".

“But if they are going in their regular clothes, they can be washed on the weekend. It’s common sense and locally if we can advise that of schools, we should be recommending that,” he said.

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Stephen Gunther, Walsall’s Director of Public Health, said the authority was working with schools and academy trusts to provide guidance.

“It will be difficult for some parts of our community and we need to recognise that. If we are going to prevent [coronavirus] we are might need to be flexible and tolerant around the school uniforms,” Mr Gunther added.

Millions of students have stepped back into the classroom today for the first time.

But for some this is their second day in their new Covid-19 safe surroundings.

Lauren Findley, a Year 6 teacher in Leicester, made a video to show us behind the scenes of her first day back.