UK’s over-70s will be required to self-isolate ‘within weeks’
Extreme measures planned as death toll rises to 35
THE DEATH toll caused by the coronavirus pandemic rose to 35 in the UK yesterday as the Government confirmed a series of extreme measures, which include asking people aged 70 and above to self-isolate for up to four months.
The Department of Health said 14 more patients have died in England after testing positive for Covid-19, following the 10 fatalities announced on Saturday.
A total of 34 people have died from the virus in England, while there has been one death in Scotland. NHS England said the patients whose deaths were announced yesterday were aged between 59 and 94, and they had underlying health conditions.
There have been a total of 1,372 positive tests for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am yesterday, up from 1,140 at the same time on Saturday.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed yesterday that people aged over 70 will be asked in the coming weeks to self-isolate for up to four months, in order to protect them from the virus.
Asked if that time frame was in the Government’s plan, he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “That is in the action plan, yes, and we will be setting it out with more detail when it is the right time to do so, because we absolutely appreciate that it is a very big ask of the elderly and the vulnerable, and it’s for their own self-protection.”
Pressed on when the measure will be introduced, he said: “Certainly in the coming weeks, absolutely.”
Mr Hancock added: “The measures that we’re taking, the measures that we’re looking at taking, are very, very significant and they will disrupt the ordinary lives of almost everybody in the country in order to tackle this virus.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will urge manufacturers to shift their production lines to build ventilators, amid concerns that critical care facilities will come under intense pressure as the Covid-19 crisis intensifies.
Matt Hancock, Health Secretary.
The Health Secretary said a Bill setting out emergency powers to deal with the outbreak will be published on Thursday, and details of what the powers will include will be shared tomorrow.
Mr Hancock said Ministers are yet to make a decision on whether to ban gatherings of more than 500 people, after Scotland said it would bring in restrictions from today. The Government is in talks with private hospitals about the possibility of taking over beds, in a further sign of the pressures that will face the health service at the peak of the outbreak.
There could also be a shift to household isolation rather than individual self-isolation. Experts on the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) set out the need for extra action to slow the spread of the disease, advising that the next interventions “will need to be instituted soon”.
Meanwhile, the US government imposed a travel ban on the UK and Ireland in response to the pandemic, with restrictions effective as of 4am GMT tomorrow.
And, the US Federal Reserve has taken emergency action and slashed its benchmark interest rate by a full percentage point to nearly zero.
The measures will disrupt the ordinary lives of almost everybody.