‘Stay at home’: UK’s Johnson ramps up response to virus

Britain is among the most latest European country to get into effective lockdown to handle the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Monday sweeping curbs on everyday life including the banning of any gatherings of more than two people.

And instructing the general public to “stay in the home” for all but a few exceptions, Johnson said he was ordering shops that don’t sell essential goods, such as food and medicines, to close immediately.

In as somber an address to the country as any prime minister has arguably delivered since World War II, Johnson said it was critical to avoid the virus from spreading between households and that police will be authorized to split up gatherings of more than two people in public areas in order to handle the “biggest threat this country has faced for many years.”

“I must supply the British people a simple instruction,” the prime minister said while seated behind a desk. “You need to stay in the home.”

The measures announced mark a departure from the British government’s until-now more relaxed approach to the worldwide pandemic, which includes stood as opposed to the lockdowns put in place elsewhere in Europe, notably in Italy, France and Spain. Though Britain has recently closed schools, bars and restaurants and urged persons to remain home, the advice for people to keep their distance have either been ignored or not understood fully enough - concerns over the strategy were stoked over the past weekend when lots of the country’s open spaces were packed out in the sunny weather.

Under the measures which Johnson didn't term as a lockdown, persons will only be permitted to leave home for a few “not a lot of purposes” to relieve the strain on the National Health Service, Johnson said.

These include searching for basic necessities “as infrequently as possible,” one sort of exercise a day done alone or with family members, medical reasons or travelling to work that can't be done from your home or that is “absolutely necessary.”

“That’s all - these are the only reasons you should leave your home,” Johnson said. “To make sure compliance with the government’s instruction to stay in the home, we will immediately close all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores and other premises, including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship.”

Social events, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, will also be stopped. Funerals are exempt. Parks may also remain open for exercise, but any gatherings will be split up.

Johnson said the police will have the energy to enforce the brand new requirements, including through fines and dispersing gatherings, and these emergency measures will maintain place for at least three weeks, at the mercy of constant review.

Johnson has come under mounting pressure to introduce tougher measures in response after many persons were seen out in public areas over the weekend not properly observing the government’s social distancing advice of residing at least two meters apart.

Officials at Snowdonia National Park in Wales, for example, introduced its own restrictions and urged the government to become more explicit using its social distancing advice following its “busiest visitor weekend in living memory.” And responding to the visibly high use of parks and the London Underground through the outbreak, London Mayor Sadiq Khan implored people to stay in the home unless they “need to” move about the city.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock had earlier expressed frustration at the failure of many to follow the government’s restrictions, describing those that gathered in groups along the land as “very selfish.”

The U.K. had the 10th-highest number of virus cases on the planet, 5,903, and the sixth-highest number of virus-related deaths by Monday, according to tallies from Johns Hopkins University. British government figures showed that 54 more people with the virus had died since Sunday, bringing the country’s total to 335.

New infections are seemingly increasing at an exponential rate, raising concern that the country will be on a trajectory like Italy’s in a week or two if containment efforts aren't successful.

For most people, the brand new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever or coughing. But also for some older adults and people with existing health issues, it could cause more serious illness, including pneumonia. Over 100,000 people have recovered, mostly in China.

“Just how ahead is hard, in fact it is still true that lots of lives will sadly be lost,” Johnson said. “Yet additionally it is true that there surely is a clear way through .… And for that reason, I urge you at this moment of national emergency to stay in the home, protect our NHS and save lives.”