Boris Johnson has said that everyone in Britain should stop all ‘non-essential’ contact with others in dramatic new guidelines announced today.
Mr Johnson stated that the coronavirus was now in a phase of ‘rapid spread’ across the UK, and it was time to take radical action to help the NHS.
He also said that people in a household where someone has showed symptoms should isolate for14 days. Britain should avoid all unnecessary contact meaning pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatre – this includes large gatherings should be avoided.
Mr Johnson also said ‘you should not go out, even to buy food or essentials’.
‘If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities. If that is not possible, you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies,’
‘Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and stop all non-essential travel. We need people to start working from home where they possible can. You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues.’
He continued – ‘It looks as though London is now a few weeks ahead… it’s important that Londoners now pay special attention to what we are saying about avoiding all non-essential contact.’
Mr Johnson stopped short of closing schools yet – ‘We think at the moment on balance it is much better if we can keep schools open for all sorts of reasons,’ he said.
‘But this is something that we need to keep under review.’
Chief medical officer Chris Whitty said – ‘If one person in the household has symptoms the whole household stays at home’.
He also said – ‘So from tomorrow we will no longer be supporting mass gatherings with emergency workers in the way that we normally do.’
