Boris Johnson is writing to every household in the UK to urge the public to obey the lockdown and stay home during the coronavirus ‘national emergency’.
The Prime Minister, who is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19, will warn ‘things will get worse before they get better’ as he stresses the need to stay indoors to support the NHS by slowing the spread.
At an anticipated cost of £5.8 million, the letters will land on 30 million doorsteps along with a leaflet spelling out the Government’s advice following much public confusion.
It comes as Britain’s coronavirus death toll rocketed by 260 to 1,019 today as the UK suffered its worst day yet and saw a huge spike in victims.
Across the country a total of 120,776 coronavirus tests have taken place, and a whopping 17,089 have come back positive for Covid-19.
Boris Johnson is writing to every household in the UK to urge the public to obey the lockdown and stay home during the coronavirus ‘national emergency’
The letters and leaflets are the latest in a public information campaign from No 10 to convince people to stay at home, wash their hands and shield the most vulnerable from the disease
Britain’s coronavirus death toll rocketed by 260 to 1,019 today as the UK suffers its worst day yet and sees a huge spike in victims. It is the biggest daily increase the UK has seen, the Department of Health and Social Care said today. A total of 120,776 coronavirus tests have taken place, and 17,089 have come back positive
The news comes as Governmental advisers warn that even stricter social distancing measures could be under way if the staggering increase in figures doesn’t stop
The letters and leaflets are the latest in a public information campaign from No 10 to convince people to stay at home, wash their hands and shield the most vulnerable from the disease.
‘We know things will get worse before they get better,’ the PM’s letter will read.
‘But we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal.
‘It has been truly inspirational to see our doctors, nurses and other carers rise magnificently to the needs of the hour.
A police officer talks to a cyclist at Regents Park in London, during a lockdown over the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that people should only leave their homes for essential work, groceries, medical necessity and exercise
A handout photo made available by n10 Downing street shows Britain’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson chairing the morning Covid-19 meeting after self isolating after testing positive for the Coronavirus in n10 Downing street in London, Britain today
A police van drives past people taking their daily exercise allowance in Hyde Park in London on today, as life in Britain continues during the nationwide lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. – The two men leading Britain’s fight against the coronavirus — Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Health Secretary Matt Hancock — both announced Friday they had tested positive for COVID-19, as infection rates accelerated and daily death rate rose sharply
‘Thousands of retired doctors and nurses are returning to the NHS – and hundreds of thousands of citizens are volunteering to help the most vulnerable.
‘That is why, at this moment of national emergency, I urge you, please, to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.’
Amid allegations of confusing messages on the lockdown, the leaflet will outline the Government’s rules on leaving the house and advice on shielding vulnerable people.
A clear explanation of the symptoms will also be included as will guidance on hand washing.
Panic has gripped the nation as it was revealed that today’s total number of deaths is 34 per cent higher than yesterday’s and today has seen the largest daily increase since March 18, when the total shot up from 71 to 104.
A medic can be seen attending to the occupants of a car at a coronavirus drive-through testing station in Chessington
However, there has been a slight improvement in the daily rate of new cases. A further 2,510 patients were diagnosed with the virus today, a drop of 411 from the 2,921 new patients diagnosed yesterday.
It is unclear whether this drop in new cases is as a result of social distancing measures or because less people are being tested for the virus.
The deadly virus is continuing to spread across the country at an exponential rate – it took just 13 days for the number of deaths to go from one to more than 100.
And it has only taken a further 10 days for the total to go from 100 to more than 1,000.
In other coronavirus developments:
- NHS workers began being tested for coronavirus at a temporary drive through testing station in the car park of Chessington World of Adventures in Chessington
- Photos revealed the inside of the ExCel centre in London which is being made into a temporary hospital with two wards, each for 2,000 people, to help tackle the coronavirus response
- The British Red Cross said evictions of asylum seekers from Government accommodation are to be halted amid fears about the disease
- Police urged motorcyclists to stay out of the countryside and told them they cannot claim it is part of their permitted daily exercise under lockdown rules
- Police chiefs want Britons to snitch on any neighbours they suspect of breaching the coronavirus lockdown
- Humberside, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and Avon and Somerset have created a mixture of ‘hotlines’ and ‘online portals’ where people can submit tip-offs if lockdown infractions occur
- Images from inside ExCeL Centre show construction work to transform the exhibition centre into a hospital
- Andy Burnham has said that hundreds of firms in Manchester have remained open ‘without good reason’
- Workers who have not taken a holiday because of the crisis will be able to carry it over into the next two years
- NHS staff to be tested for coronavirus from next week at places including Chessington World of Adventures
- The coronavirus social distancing limit is four times too short, Massachusetts Institute of Technology warned
- National director of the NHS, Stephen Powis, today announced at Number 10’s daily briefing that Boris Johnson is continuing to self-isolate as he is still showing symptoms but he was able to hold a meeting earlier today
- Powis also announced that keeping Covid-19 deaths in the UK below 20,000 would be a ‘good result’
- He then revealed that 170million masks, 25million gloves and 30million aprons have been delivered to medical staff fighting virus across the country
Overall, the number of confirmed cases in the UK is 17,089. But just one week ago, the total paled in comparison at 5,018.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is already having to lead the response to the pandemic from Downing Street after he was diagnosed with the disease.
He has been accused of failing to follow his own social distancing rules after Health Secretary Matt Hancock tested positive and England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty began self-isolating with symptoms.
The news comes as Governmental advisers warn that even stricter social distancing measures could be under way if the staggering increase in figures doesn’t stop.
A police officer talks to a cyclist at Regents Park in London, during a lockdown over the spread of coronavirus
People walk and run to take their daily exercise allowance in Battersea Park in London today, as life in Britain continues during the nationwide lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic
A statement from NHS England said: ‘Patients were aged between 33 and 100 years old and all but 13 (aged between 63 and 99 years old) had underlying health conditions.’
The latest figures come after Scottish Secretary Alister Jack revealed he had developed mild symptoms of coronavirus and was self-isolating.
Government advisers said stricter social distancing policies may have to be rolled out next month if the grim figures continued to rise. The measures would be introduced in three weeks as the outbreak reached its peak to further reduce ‘person-to-person interaction’.
This week France announced that individuals could only exercise alone – unless with children – for a maximum of an hour and within 1,000 yards of their homes. Spain and Italy have banned exercise altogether, and there are concerns that Britons are deliberately misinterpreting the guidance by travelling to beauty spots miles from their homes.
Keeping Covid-19 deaths below 20,000 would be a good result, says NHS medical director Stephen Powis who says 170million masks, 25million gloves and 30million aprons have been delivered to medical staff fighting virus
By Isabella Nikolic for MailOnline
The United Kingdom will have done well if it comes through the coronavirus crisis with fewer than 20,000 deaths said the national medical director of the NHS.
When asked if he hoped that the United Kingdom was not on the same trajectory as countries such as Italy, Stephen Powis said: ‘If we can keep deaths below 20,000 we will have done very well in this epidemic.’
‘If it is less than 20,000… that would be a good result though every death is a tragedy, but we should not be complacent about that,’ said Powis, speaking at a news conference in Downing Street alongside Business Secretary Alok Sharma.
He said the NHS had been working incredibly hard to increase the intensive care capacity beyond the 4,000 beds it typically had.
The United Kingdom will have done well if it comes through the coronavirus crisis with fewer than 20,000 deaths said the national medical director (pictured, Stephen Powis) of the NHS
When asked if he hoped that the United Kingdom was not on the same trajectory as countries such as Italy , Stephen Powis (pictured alongside Business Secretary Alok Sharma) said: ‘If we can keep deaths below 20,000 we will have done very well in this epidemic’
Mr Powis insisted getting personal protective equipment (PPE) to healthcare staff was an ‘absolute priority’ as he detailed the numbers of products sent out.
More than 170million of the ‘very highest level masks’ have been dispatched ‘in the last couple of weeks,’ he said.
He added 40million gloves had been sent in recent days, as well as 25million face masks and 30million aprons.
‘So vast numbers going out,’ he said.
‘We’re strengthening the supply chain every day to ensure that every organisation gets the equipment that they need, that’s an absolute priority for us.’
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said Johnson continues to show only ‘mild symptoms’ of coronavirus.
‘He continues to lead the government’s effort in combating Covid-19,’ Sharma told reporters.
‘This morning he held a video conference call and he will continue to lead right from the front on this.’
The United Kingdom will have done well if it comes through the coronavirus crisis with fewer than 20,000 deaths, Stephen Powis, the national medical director of the National Health Service, said on Saturday