Boris Johnson has used his daily update on the coronavirus outbreak to ask everyone in the UK to stop non-essential contact with others.
Boris Johnson urged people to work from home and avoid pubs, clubs and theatre before requesting that entire households go into quarantine for fourteen days to stop the spread of the deadly illness if anyone in the household shows any coronavirus symptoms.
Mr Johnson also confirmed that groups particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, the elderly and sick and those women who are pregnant, will be asked to stay home for 12 weeks as soon as this weekend saying “In a few days time, by this coming weekend it will be necessary to go further and to ensure that those with the most serious health conditions are largely shielded from social contact for around 12-weeks.
The prime minister concluded: “I know that many people including many millions of fit and active people over 70 may feel listening to what I have just said is that there is something excessive about these measures.
“But I have to say I believe they are overwhelmingly worth it to slow the spread of the disease, to reduce the peak, to save life, minimise suffering and to give our NHS the chance to cope.”
Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser, said: “This is not a series of small interventions. You would anticipate that this could have a dramatic effect to reduce the peak and to reduce death rates,”
“They are not easy but they are important and they will have the effect if we all do it.
“This is a matter for us to take accountability to make sure we help each other, protect ourselves and protect the NHS.”
