The government has been keen to reopen schools to more than just the children of key workers in order to get businesses open again, preventing further damage to the economy.

But is it safe? That has to be the most important test. Headteachers don’t think so, school governors don’t think so, councils don’t think so, parents don’t think so and now, it seems, neither does the government.

While the North West has the highest R-number in the country, it makes no sense to reopen schools. Scientists believe that children are largely unaffected by coronavirus, but strains of it and linked infections are reported to have been devastating to young people. And, as lockdown measures are eased, staff, teachers and parents are exposed to more risk as we start to move around again.

Now, Downing Street has acknowledged that not only are primary schools unlikely to reopen before the summer, secondary schools are likely to follow suit. No one will argue with putting safety first.

If the status quo remains, those who have coped for three months with video conference calls in the living room or from the dining room table – making allowances for all that goes with it – need to think of something less temporary. It’s time we started assuming this is going to be the norm for the foreseeable future, and make changes to embrace it, and not just put up with it.

Whether you run your own business or are an employee, it is vital to be professional, regardless of whether it is a phone call, video call, email or other text message.

Some people have clearly become whizzes with Zoom and Skype, managing to change backgrounds to disguise the household furniture, or making use of features such as sharing documents and recording meetings for future reference. Some have emblazoned their screens with company livery, while others have appeared sitting in space or in a desert.

We might also see a return to meeting people in person, even if it is wearing face coverings and touching elbows instead of shaking hands.

Second wave 

As while we all try to cope with our new way of living and working, most people are hoping for a return to the normality of pre-March 23.

But as we edge forward, including the planned reopening of schools, the big fear is that a second spike in coronavirus infections and deaths and a further lockdown will do more serious and longer-term damage to the economy.

It makes sense, therefore, that businesses operate with social distancing at the core of everything they do. Some may even come up with innovative ideas that capture the imaginations of customers, or develop new products and services that would not otherwise have been conceived.

Throughout the pandemic, many businesses have still been functioning, even at a reduced rate. It is time to make the most of the technology available and put it to the best use possible.

Relying solely on websites and emails does remove the personal touch, which is why video calling will be key to success and future growth.

Soon after everything hit the fan in March, jokes about wallpaper, pyjamas and scruffy hair were commonplace on video calls.

While we don’t all need to become Spielbergs overnight, we do need to adopt a new way of working that is efficient, instils confidence in businesses and customers and, above all, is professional.