PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has brought in the toughest measures yet in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Addressing the nation he said everyone had to be at home and there were only five reasons people should be out –
- Shopping for basic necessities – and as infrequency as possible.
- For one daily session of exercise – a walk, run or cycle.
- For medical need – to care for or help a vulnerable person.
- Travel to and from work and that was if it was absolutely necessary and people could not work from home.
All shops selling non-essential items, such as clothing and electronic stores, have been ordered to close.
People should not be meeting friends or anyone apart from family members they live with.
Outdoors, people should not be in groups of more than two people.
Police are able to disperse gatherings and officers will have the powers to issue fines to people who flout the regulations.
Weddings, baptisms and other events will be cancelled but funerals will still be able to take place.
Mr Johnson called COVID-19 an ‘invisible killer’, saying without action ‘no healthcare system in the world would be able to cope’.
“If too many people become unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to cope and even more people will die – not just from coronavirus but from other illnesses as well.
“It is vital to reduce the spread of the disease.
“The way ahead is hard and it is still true that many lives will be lost.
“But it is also true that we will be able to find a way through.”
He said everyone of us had been enlisted in this fight to protect our NHS and to save many thousands of lives.
“I know, as they have done in the past, the people of this country will rise to the challenge.
“We will beat the coronavirus and we will beat it together.
“I urge you, at this time of national crisis to stay at home, protect our NHS and to save lives.”
