“Stay at home” new coronavirus measures announced

Stay at home

In a public address on Monday (23 March), Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced new major measures in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

These measures will be in place for three weeks.

Here’s the key points of his speech:

• You can only leave home for limited purposes – shopping for basic goods as infrequently as possible, for any medical need, for one form of exercise a day, and for travelling to and from work when “absolutely necessary”
• Do not meet friends or family you do not live with
• Police will have power to enforce rules through fines and dispersing gatherings
• All shops selling non-essential goods – such as clothing and electronic stores – are to close
• All gatherings of more than two people in public are banned – excluding those you live with
• Parks will remain open for exercise, but gatherings will be dispersed
• All social events are banned, such as weddings and baptisms
• Funerals are not included in the new restrictions
• Libraries, playgrounds and places of worship are to close