Teachers and pupils have been warned to stay at home if they have flu symptoms amid fears that the virus is spreading through schools and nurseries.

One headteacher said 170 of his pupils were off sick in one day alone, in what he called scenes reminiscent of “Covid times”.

The i Paper has also been told anecdotally of some classrooms where half the students are absent due to illness. New Feature

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Official figures show that this winter’s flu season is one of the worst for years, with an NHS situation report this week revealing that hospital admissions from the virus are at record levels in England.

The NHS says cases have not yet reached their peak, with hospitals expected to come under pressure in the run-up to Christmas.

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