LIFE ON HOLD FOR THREE MONTHS

... and look who’s taking precautions NHS at highest threat level as UK cases rise to 51 6m workers could be off sick all at once Even eating out and shopping may be under threat

LIVES may have to be put on hold for up to three months to fight the deadly coronavirus, Boris Johnson said yesterday.

Setting out a ‘battle plan’ for tackling a potential epidemic, he warned the nation of the scale of the challenge posed by an illness that may afflict millions.

The sobering strategy said Britons could be asked to suspend their social lives – ‘avoiding contact outside work and school’ – if the virus took hold.

Sources said dramatically cutting back on activities such as eating out, going to the pub, shopping and shows could significantly slow the spread of the contagion. Other contingency measures were set out to allow key public services, such as the NHS and the police, to continue functioning.

The plan said officers could be told to suspend investigations and focus on serious crime, the Army could be put on standby and foreign visitors showing symptoms could be required to have a coronavirus test before being allowed into the country.

The plan said a fifth of the workforce – more than six million staff – could be off sick at the peak of the outbreak, which ministers hope to delay until late in the spring.

It emerged last night that the NHS

had declared a ‘Level Four’ incident, the highest level of alert, as officials brace for a surge in coronavirus cases in the coming weeks.

Hospitals have been advised to postpone treatment where possible and treat patients at home, or in the community to ease pressure on beds.

At a press conference in No 10 yesterday, the Prime Minister said ‘all reasonable and necessary steps’ were being taken. He stressed that for the overwhelming majority the virus would produce only a mild disease.

But there are fears for the over-80s, who are thought to be especially susceptible. In a worst-case scenario, official projections point to as many as half a million deaths, although experts insisted early evidence from China suggested the final figure would be only a fraction of this. As the number of UK victims rose from 39 to 51:

■ The new cases included two in Bury and another in Bolton, as well as others in London and Hampshire;

■ A major advertising campaign will urge Britons to wash their hands for 20 seconds throughout the day;

■ The Queen wore long gloves at an investiture for what was believed to be the first time in decades;

■ The death rate rose to 3.4 per cent from 2 per cent – possibly because the number of mild cases is being under-reported;

■ Sick pay and benefit rules could be overhauled;

■ A Wirral secondary school closed for a deep clean after a parent became infected;

■ The US Federal Reserve announced a surprise cut in interest rates, with the Bank of England expected to follow;

■ Shoppers ignored ‘Don’t panic’ warnings and cleared shelves of essentials;

■ In Italy, the death toll soared to 79 and Iran temporarily freed 54,000 prisoners to combat the spread of the virus.

The 12-week plan will come into force should the virus defeat efforts to contain it.

Officials believe that cutting activities by up to three quarters could hugely restrict its spread. Mass events, such as concerts, sports matches or even the May local elections or VE Day commemorations, could be cancelled.

Families were also warned that they may be asked to go into quarantine at home if one or more of them contracts the virus. Routine operations could be cancelled to ease the strain on the NHS, and patients could be discharged early to free up beds.

Last night it was claimed that non-time- critical homicide investigations could be postponed as long as there was no increase in threat.

Forces could also increase response times to crimes such as burglaries and postpone some operations, such as action against gangs or serisocial ous crime rings. Emergency laws will be rushed forward to allow greater ‘flexibility’ for public services.

Measures include allowing retired healthcare staff to come back to work; suspending rules on class sizes; allowing children to be taught at different schools if theirs is closed; and allowing suspects held on remand to appear in court by video link.

Closing down entire cities – as happened in China – has been all but ruled out, with the benefit seen as ‘virtually zero’.

Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty yesterday said he expected the spread to be ‘probably a lot lower’ than the worst-case scenario in which eight in ten could get it.

But he said the NHS had to plan for the worst, which could involve two million being hospitalised.

Officials said the trigger for moving from the ‘ contain’ phase to the ‘delay’ phase would come when there was no realistic possibility of preventing a global pandemic.