Jim McManus, pictured, who is director of public health at Hertfordshire County Council A public health chief says shutting down an entire school due to a Covid outbreak is "a last resort" - but says the "priority is to act" when managing any outbreak of the virus. Cherry Tree Primary School in Watford is currently closed to pupils after a "number" of cases were recorded across different year groups. Head teacher Cheska Tyler said the decision to shut was made following guidance from Public Health England and the local authorities. Current guidance published on the Government website states any restrictions on education are always a "last resort" and the government has made it a "national priority" that education settings should operate as "normally as possible" during the pandemic.