The United Kingdom is been locked down as the Prime Minster announces that people must stay a home unless they are out for one of four reasons, and police will enforce the new rules.
Citizens are only allowed to leave the house for the following reasons:
• Shopping for basic necessities as infrequently as possible
• To take part in one form of exercise per day (for example, a run, walk, or cycle) alone or with members of your household only
• For medical need, to provide care or help someone vulnerable
• To travel to and from work only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done at home
The police have tonight been given the power to deal with those caught outside without a genuine reason. Anyone breaking the rules will be fined at least £30.
Other key points:
• All shops selling non-essential goods have been told to close immediately
• Premises like libraries, playgrounds, outdoor gyms and places of worship will also close
• Groups of more than two people gathered in public are banned – excluding people you live with
• All social events including weddings, religious services and large events are cancelled (excluding funerals)
• Parks will remain open but gatherings will be dispersed
You can read the full guidance on the government website here.
Boris Johnson said: “Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope; because there won’t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses.
“So it’s vital to slow the spread of the disease.
“From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction – you must stay at home. Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.”
