Live-apart lovers told it is time to test strength of relationship

COUPLES who live in separate homes should “test the strength” of their relationship and move in together during the coronavirus outbreak, a medical expert said last night.

Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, urged people to remain within one household to stop the spread of Covid-19, stressing that the rules applied to live-apart boyfriends and girlfriends.

Joking that she did not want to start a new career in “relationship counselling”, she said: “The principle is that we want people to stay in their household units primarily. If you have an infection, you are very close to your family members so the risk of exposure is very similar. If you’re two individuals, two halves of the couple, are currently in separate households, ideally they should stay in those households.

“The alternative might be that for quite a significant period going forward they should test the strength of their relationship and decide if one wants to be a permanent resident of another household.

“The issue here is what we do not want is people switching in and out of households. It defeats the purpose in the reduction of social interaction. Otherwise we will not all be working towards achieving the outcome.”

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, who joined Dr Harries for Downing Street’s first virtual press conference with journalists asking questions via conference call, added: “Make your choice and stick with it.”

The clarification came amid confusion over whether couples living apart were still allowed to meet up under the

Government’s lockdown rules, which prohibits meetings of more than two people who do not live together.

People who flout the lockdown will be fined £30 from tomorrow, with Downing Street threatening “significantly” higher penalties for those who continue to disobey the new measures.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister’s spokesman appeared to indicate that lovers should not see each other if they live in separate homes, in order “to save lives”. He later admitted: “We are working at pace and, as people raise these issues with us, we will get clarity for them as soon as possible.”

♦ Downing Street yesterday declined to say whether Boris Johnson’s plans to marry Carrie Symonds, his pregnant girlfriend, had been affected now that weddings have been banned until further notice. Mrs Johnson, who announced their engagement last month, had not publicly named a date.