12th March, 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stepped up the response to the coronavirus outbreak on Thursday, amid suggestions that between 5,000 to 10,000 people may already have been infected.
Johnson said his government is moving to the “delay phase” which includes the option of more stringent measures designed to slow down the spread of the virus.
He spoke after a meeting of Britain’s emergency committee, known as COBRA.
“We are now getting onto the next phase,” Johnson said. “This is now not just an attempt to contain the disease as far as possible but to delay its spread.”
He said those showing symptoms of having the virus should self-isolate for at least a week.
The British plan for dealing with the outbreak has three main phases – containment, delay and mitigation. Graphic: UK coronavirus cases – here
In the delay phase, so called social distancing measures such as school closures, more home working and reducing large scale gathering will be considered, though will not necessarily be approved immediately.
Johnson said he was not closing schools at the present time but that advice on schools could change as the virus spreads.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the United Kingdom rose 29% percent to 590 over the past 24 hours. A total of 10 people with coronavirus have died in the United Kingdom since the outbreak.
Ireland will shut schools, universities and childcare facilities until March 29 and restrict mass gathering to slow the spread of the coronavirus, acting Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Thursday.