Court cases could be heard via video under emergency legislation
The health secretary has insisted that the government will do “everything in its power” to delay and mitigate the coronavirus threat as the number of people in the UK confirmed as having the virus topped 200.
Matt Hancock said ministers would do “all we can” to contain the Covid-19 outbreak as he set out plans contained in emergency legislation to deal with the impact of the virus.
The bill, which is likely to go through Parliament by the end of the month, is expected to include measures to allow some court proceedings to be conducted via phone or video.
And volunteers will be given additional employment safeguards, allowing them to leave their main jobs and temporarily help health and social systems in the event of a widespread pandemic.
Mr Hancock said: “We will do all we can to contain coronavirus, but, as we know, Covid-19 is spreading across the world, so I want to ensure government is doing everything initspowertobereadytodelay and mitigate this threat. Public safety is my top priority.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, Cobra.
Oxford University said yesterday that a student had tested positive for Covid-19, but they “did not attend any university or college events after they felt ill, when they subsequently self-isolated”.
Mr Hancock praised people freed from quarantine after returning from a coronavirus-hit cruise ship for setting a “good example” to the public.
A group of 30 Britons and two Irish nationals were released from isolation at Arrowe Park Hospital in the Wirral yesterday having been given the all-clear from infection. They were repatriated from Japan last month having been passengers on the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship.
A Glasgow leisure centre that was closed after a coronavirus sufferer used the facilities is meanwhile set to reopen. Scotstoun Sports Campus, which houses Scotstoun rugby stadium, was closed on Saturday after a player on the Scottish women’s rugby team who had contracted the illness used the facilities.