BORIS TO BRITONS: YOU MUST STAY AT HOME.
LONDON • The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered Britons to stay at home to try to halt the spread of coronavirus, closing non-essential shops, telling people not to meet with friends or family and warning that those who do not follow the rules face fines.
Deaths from the virus in Britain jumped to 335 on Monday as the government said the military would help ship millions of items of personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks to health care workers who have complained of shortages.
“From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction — you must stay at home,” Johnson said in a televised address to the nation.
Johnson said people would only be allowed to leave their homes to shop for basic necessities, exercise, for a medical need, to provide care, or travelling to and from work where absolutely necessary.
“That’s all — these are the only reasons you should leave your home,” he said, adding that people should not meet friends or family members who do not live in their home.
“If you don’t follow the rules, the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings,” he warned.
The new measures would be reviewed in three weeks, and relaxed if possible.
The government will close all shops selling non-essential goods, Johnson said, including clothing stores, as well as other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship.
Advice to stay at home and avoid social gatherings went unheeded by millions on the weekend who took advantage of sunny weather to flock to parks. Under the new measures, the government will stop all gatherings of more than two people in public who do not live together, and stop all social events, including weddings and baptisms but not funerals. Parks would remain open for exercise but gatherings would be dispersed, Johnson said.
Later on Monday, Britain’s lower house of parliament is expected to approve emergency legislation giving authorities sweeping powers to tackle the outbreak, including the right to detain people and put them in isolation to protect public health.
Earlier, in a letter pleading with Johnson to increase PPE supplies, more than 6,000 front-line doctors warned they felt like “cannon fodder” and were being asked to put their lives at risk.