OBEY THE VIRUS RULES OR ELSE
18-year-old is our youngest victim ++ UK death toll hits 281 ++ Now PM tells Britons to ‘social distance’, warning ...
BRITAIN could be under a tough new lockdown within days if families do not start taking warnings about the coronavirus seriously, Boris Johnson said last night.
The Prime Minister made clear that he is considering further measures such as curfews and restrictions on the nation’s movements.
An 18-year-old from Warwickshire last night became the youngest victim of the virus so far, as the death toll in the UK rose by 48 to 281.
But despite the worsening situation, thousands of Britons yesterday flouted Government advice to stay indoors as much as possible to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Beaches, beauty spots, parks and playgrounds were packed through the weekend as families took advantage of the sunny weather.
Mr Johnson last night reiterated advice that people who do not have symptoms or underlying health conditions can go out for walks. But he urged them to try to remain two metres apart from others and not to hold social gatherings such as picnics. The PM warned it was ‘absolutely
critical’ that people ‘take this advice seriously’. Mr Johnson said people should ‘not think that fresh air in itself automatically provides some immunity’. ‘And even if you think you are personally invulnerable, there are plenty of people you can infect and whose lives will then be put at risk,’ he added. In other developments:
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Britain rose from 5,018 to 5,683; The death toll in Scotland rose to ten; In Italy, coronavirus claimed 651 lives in just one day, taking the death toll to 5,476, while in France it rose 112 to 674;
German Chancellor Angela Merkel went into quarantine after a doctor who treated her tested positive for the virus, and the nation banned meetings of more than two people;
A nurse is fighting for her life in the hospital where she works after being diagnosed with coronavirus;
High street chains including John Lewis, Zara, Waterstones and Primark announced the temporary closure of stores;
Boots warned staff that it could run out of paracetamol by the end of trading next week, as supermarket panic buying continued with some selfish shoppers even gatecrashing an hour reserved for NHS staff.
At a press conference in Downing Street, Mr Johnson said the Government had already taken ‘very draconian steps’ in closing schools, pubs and restaurants, but said they would have to go further if people do not heed the advice. The Prime Minister said: ‘A huge quantity of our normal daily life has been totally transformed. It is very important for people’s mental and physical well-being and they should be able to get out and exercise if they possibly can.
‘But when we do that, we have to do it responsibly. If you don’t do it responsibly... there is going to be no doubt that we will have to bring forward further measures.’
Ministers are considering following other countries such as Italy and Spain that have banned people from leaving their homes unless they need to go to work or to buy essential food and supplies.
Mr Johnson said: ‘I don’t think you need to use your imagination very much to see where we might have to go, and we will think about this very very actively in the next 24 hours.’
At a press conference in Edinburgh, Nicola
Sturgeon said around 200,000 people in Scotland – including some cancer patients and those who have received organ transplants – are to be sent personal letters telling them they must completely cut themselves off from others for three months.
The First Minister also urged Scots not to gather in groups in outdoor places and warned that people should only visit shops for ‘essential’ items.
Miss Sturgeon warned the small number of pubs that have remained open that she will use new powers to force them to close their doors unless they act. She also confirmed that ten people have now died after testing positive for coronavirus in Scotland and 416 patients have tested positive.
The First Minister said people should be in ‘no doubt about how serious the situation we face is’. ‘Let me be clear, the advice should not be considered optional,’ Miss Sturgeon added. ‘It should be seen instead as a set of rules to be followed. To protect Scotland we must all do the right thing.
‘Life shouldn’t feel normal right now. So if your life still feels entirely normal, ask yourself if you are doing the right things or if instead you may be putting yourself and others at unnecessary risk.
‘Don’t go shopping except for essentials like food and medicine and, when you do, keep a safe distance of two metres from others. Shops that remain open should be ensuring responsible social distancing.’
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman revealed yesterday that 300 former NHS staff came forward to offer their services within 24 hours of the Scottish Government launching a drive to attract those who had recently retired to return to help with the Covid-19 crisis.
Meanwhile, a new term ‘covidiot’ was used on social media to describe people who putting the health of the community at risk.