School closures of up to three months, emergency laws and event cancellations a possibility to stop coronavirus death toll, PM says
3 March 2020, 12:44
Boris Johnson explained that the army are on stand-by as he issued the government's plans to contain and kill off coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a press conference at No.10 as he published the government's plans to fight deadly virus COVID-19, more commonly known as coronavirus.
He explained that the government are working to save as many lives as possible, while also ensuring that the UK continues day-to-day life.
As part of the plan, the army are on standby to help if the virus becomes more serious, with the PM explaining: "The army is of course always ready as and when, but that is under the worst case scenario."
The coronavirus plan consists of four stands which include; containing the virus, delaying the spread of the virus, researching the virus' origin and cures and finally mitigating the impact "should the virus become more widespread".
While the PM said it is likely we will see a growing number of UK cases of coronavirus, the majority of people who catch the virus will only have a "mild disease".
He said that most people who catch the virus will "speedily and fully recover".
In the plan, the government outlined potential steps they could take in the future if the virus was to become more severe in the UK.
Boris said that these are not things they are planning on doing, but steps they could take "at the right time along the basis of the scientific advice".
These include:
- Urging Brits to work from home to reduce the risk of catching coronavirus
- Shutting schools for up to three months
- Areas of the UK closed off and labelled 'no-go zones'
- Elderly people advised to stay away from public events
- Large scale events – such as concerts and sports – cancelled
- Advice given to the most vulnerable people
- Plans to call retired doctors back to the NHS
- Increasing sizes of classes in schools
- Emergency laws, for example, bans of people carrying the virus from entering the UK
- Police to only focus on 'serious crime' if under pressure
Currently, over 88,000 people have been infected by the virus across the world, with the death toll rising to over 3,000.
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