Boris Johnson is gathering Cabinet today as he unveils the government’s ‘battle plan’ for combating the escalating coronavirus crisis.
The PM is putting himself at the head of the response with an array of potential measures including detaining suspected sufferers, creating ‘no go zones’, cancelling sporting events and closing schools.
A ‘social distancing’ strategy would see people encouraged to work from home to avoid unnecessary travel, and an army of NHS volunteers could be recruited to help ease the burden on the health service.
Downing Street insiders have warned that ‘life can not carry on as we know it’ if the virus gets a full grip in the UK.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to tear up his Budget plans to focus on the issue, unlocking billions of pounds to bolster services and prop up businesses hammered by the economic consequences.
After Cabinet, Mr Johnson will hold a press conference alongside experts in Downing Street as he tries to convince Britons everything is being done.
He warned yesterday of a ‘very significant expansion’ of the disease, possibly in days, as it spreads across Europe. However, amid signs of panic in schools and shops, he called for ‘business as usual’ for now, with the focus still on containing coronavirus.
Four more cases were confirmed yesterday – but one of those was later ruled a false alarm – making the national total 39.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this morning that the government was pushing through emergency legislation to take the powers it might need in the coming weeks.
‘Right now, we do not recommend the cancelling of mass events and schools as well should not be closing unless there is a positive case and the schools have the advice to close,’ Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast.
‘There maybe things we have to do down the line that we don’t want to, but we will need the powers to do that hence proposing emergency legislation.’
With Boris Johnson (pictured in an interview last night) warning of a ‘mass epidemic’, officials are urgently trying to speed up the six-month process of becoming a hospital volunteer
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this morning that the government was pushing through emergency legislation to take the powers it might need in the coming weeks
In other key developments today:
- The Treasury is preparing to find billions of pounds in next week’s budget to help firms cope with the financial fallout;
- BA, EasyJet and Ryanair cancelled hundreds of flights, ruining the plans of thousands of travellers;
- Global economic growth could be slashed in half, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development;
- The public were urged to clean their smartphone screens with alcohol wipes twice a day to help prevent the spread;
- At least 11 more schools closed after positive coronavirus tests or scares – despite Government advice to shut only on the orders of health officials;
- The NHS 111 helpline reported it was receiving a 70 per cent increase in calls compared with last year;
- Stores reported seeing a surge in panic buying and experts warned of food riots in a worst-case scenario;
- As many as five million workers could be left without sick pay if they are forced to stay home;
- The Health Secretary said the Government had powers to compel patients to self-isolate if they refused to;
- The World Health Organisation warned that the situation was now ‘uncharted territory’;
- Buckingham Place said an investiture today would go ahead and there were no plans to alter royal itineraries;
- City firms banned ‘hot desking’ and large meetings of more than 25 staff.
Face masks have become an increasingly common sight on the streets of London as concern about coronavirus rises
Most of BA’s cancellations are for short-haul flights between Heathrow and Italy, France, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland. Pictured: A woman wearing a face mask at Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport
Would-be NHS volunteers have to wait between three and six months while they undergo criminal records checks, occupational health assessments and training.
By the time they have been cleared, the pandemic is likely to have come and gone and Health Secretary Matt Hancock is hoping to make the process easier and more efficient.
Last winter the Mail launched a major campaign that led to 34,000 of our readers becoming volunteers in roles including serving tea and simply holding hands to reassure patients.
The Prime Minister said the Government was preparing for ‘a possibly very significant expansion of coronavirus in the UK’, adding: ‘That’s clearly on the cards – it is possible that we will see a big expansion in the number of cases.’
He said the battle plan would set out a menu of options for dealing with a serious outbreak. It also includes designating areas with a cluster of cases as ‘no-go-zones’, according to the Times.
Ministers hope to contain the virus but, if that proves impossible, to at least delay the peak until after the winter when the NHS is under less strain.
They will focus initially on keeping schools open and will bring forward emergency legislation this month to suspend rules on class sizes in order to let teachers take on additional pupils from sick colleagues.
The plan is expected to include measures for a ‘Dad’s Army’ of retired doctors and nurses to be able to re-register with medical watchdogs and provide treatment with full insurance.
It will also set out details for extra mortuary capacity should there be a spike in deaths.
It is understood that in a worst-case scenario, the police could be asked to enforce road and building closures, and the Army could be drafted in to enforce lockdowns where necessary.
Later in the week, a major public information campaign will be launched setting out clear steps the public can take to limit the spread of the virus, including washing their hands regularly.
Whitehall sources warned that the peak of the virus may not come for months although they declined to comment on its possible scale.
Nicola Sturgeon, who phoned in to yesterday’s meeting of the Government’s Cobra meeting, revealed that experts believe that in a ‘realistic worst-case’ outcome, 50-80 per cent of Scots could catch the virus in the coming months.
The SNP first minister said that 4 per cent of Scots could end up being hospitalised over a long period.
Whitehall sources acknowledged this could translate into more than two million people across the UK.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak last night acknowledged that a severe outbreak could hit the economy but said the Treasury was working on a package ‘to support your families, your businesses and the public services on which you rely’.
Officials are understood to be preparing to set aside billions of pounds in next week’s budget to help firms and workers cope with the economic fallout from a potentially major epidemic.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the impact on the NHS could be amplified by thousands of frontline staff themselves succumbing to the virus.
He said: ‘This is about providing the best possible care for those who fall sick, with the best use of resources in the hospital system which will come under major pressure.’