In an effort to fight the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, the United Kingdom will go into essential lockdown, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced.
There have been nearly 6000 confirmed cases of the respiratory illness in the United Kingdom, with the government there having already introduced a raft of measures to limit exposure between people. That includes shutting down many main transport lines, like the London tube, instructing the vulnerable to stay indoors and calling for bars and restaurants to close.
However, advice from authorities for people to distance themselves from each other appears to have gone unheeded in some parts of the countries, with many over the weekend gathering and ignoring health guidelines.
While Johnson acknowledged many people had been following advice, he said it was now time to go further. He said people now "must stay at home".
The only exceptions will be for shopping for basic necessities, one form of exercise a day, any medical needs, or to go to and from work if absolutely necessary.
Police will enforce compliance and give out fines if necessary. All non-essential businesses will close, gatherings of more than two people are now banned and all events stopped, excluding funerals. Parks will remain open, but police will break up any gatherings.
In announcing the measures, Johnson called coronavirus "the biggest threat this country has faced in decades" and said without intense rules, more people would lose their lives.
"No Prime Minister wants to enact measures like this. I know the damage that this disruption is doing and will do to people's lives, to their businesses, to their jobs," he said.
The Prime Minister said the new rules would be constantly under review and could be relaxed in three weeks.
"The way ahead is hard and it is still true that many lives will sadly be lost."
The lockdown had been signalled over the last day. Health Secretary Matt Hancock previously told Sky News that a full shutdown with curfews and domestic travel restrictions could be imposed if people continued to ignore authorities.
"Well, we're perfectly prepared to do that if we need to because the objective here is really clear which is to stop the spread of the virus. Of course, we will enforce and bring in further strong measures if we need to," Hancock told Sky News.
Hancock also said the military had been called in to help transport medical supplies to hospitals and clinics.
The Prime Minister's usual daily briefing was also postponed three hours to allow him time to head to a meeting of Government agencies, which many speculated was in preparation for a lockdown.
There are more than 350,000 cases of the illness worldwide, with more than 15,000 people having died. Of the 6000 cases in the United Kingdom, about 336 people have died.
What we know about coronavirus
The World Health Organization (WHO) was first notified of cases of the virus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) in Wuhan, China on December 31. It was identified as a coronavirus on January 7 and can spread via human-to-human transmission. It causes the coronavirus COVID-19 illness.
The virus is primarily spread through droplets in the air after someone sneezes or coughs, however, it can also be contracted by touching surfaces where the illness is present. The length of time the virus stays alive on surfaces isn't fully understood, but some viruses can remain active for days.
"Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death," the WHO says.
"Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing."
There is currently no vaccine for the sickness.
How can I protect myself?
avoid touching the mouth, nose and eyes with unwashed hands
washing your hands before eating
carrying a hand sanitiser at all times
being particularly mindful of touching your face after using public transport or going to the airport
carry tissues at all times to cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing (then dispose of it)
not eating shared or communal food
avoiding shaking hands, kissing cheeks
regularly cleaning and sanitise commonly used surfaces and items, such as phones and keys
avoiding close contact with people suffering from or showing symptoms of acute respiratory infection
seeking medical attention if you feel unwell.
An explainer on protecting yourself from coronavirus can be found here. Full information can also be found at Covid19.govt.nz
The Ministry of Health is reminding the public to get in touch with Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if they have symptoms or concerns.
