British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered the British to quarantine the British in their homes for at least three weeks to try to slow the expansion of the new coronavirus.
You will only be allowed to go out on the street to make the purchase, perform an exercise activity a day (running, walking or cycling), for medical reasons or to care for vulnerable people, as well as to go to work, in case of “absolute need”, indicated the boss Government.
From tonight, police will impose sanctions on those who fail to comply with the announced measures, Johnson said in a speech from his official residence on Downing Street.
The British executive had so far merely recommended that citizens maintain “social estrangement” and had decreed the closure of pubs, restaurants and other entertainment venues.
Now, however, all shops that do not sell essential products, such as clothing and electronics stores, as well as religious spaces, will have to keep their doors closed.
All social events and ceremonies, including weddings and baptisms, are also suspended, with the exception of funerals.
The parks will remain open to allow outdoor exercise, although security forces will disperse any gatherings of more than two people who do not live in the same home.
The tightening of the measures in the UK has taken place after 967 new cases of COVID-19 were detected in the country on Monday and the dead rose to 335,54 more than yesterday.
“Without a huge national effort to stop the progress of this virus, a situation that no health system in the world could cope with would come. Because there wouldn’t be enough respirators, intensive care beds, doctors, or nurses,” Johnson said.
“As we’ve seen elsewhere, in countries that also have fantastic health systems, that’s the really dangerous time,” he added.
The Government will analyze the progress of the virus within three weeks and “relax” the measures if the right conditions are met. “At the moment, there are no simple options. The road ahead is hard, and it’s true that many lives are going to be sadly lost,” Johnson said.
Prior to the speech by chief executive, Foreign Minister Dominic Raab urged all British tourists and “short-lived travellers” abroad to return to the UK immediately “while commercial flights are still available.”
“Some British tourists in other countries are already finding it difficult to return to the UK due to international restrictions,” warned Raab, who warned that many airlines are suspending flights and numerous airports throughout the world are closing, “some of them without warning.”
