Britain will tighten coronavirus restrictions if people flout rules

By Paul Sandle

 

People play football in Greenwich Park, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, London, Britain, April 4, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will be forced to impose more restrictions on outdoor exercise if people flout lockdown rules designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the health minister said on Sunday.

 

Daily exercise, such as walking, running or cycling, is allowed as long as people maintain social distancing. But any other activity such as sunbathing could put others at risk and prolong the lockdown, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.

 

Most people were complying, he said, but if a minority continued to break the rules "we then might have to take further action".

 

"What we are doing is being absolutely clear that the current rules must be followed," he told a daily media briefing.

 

There were fears that warm spring weather on Sunday could encourage Britons to head to parks. London's Lambeth Council closed Brockwell Park on Sunday after it said many people had sunbathed or gathered in large groups there on Saturday.

 

Hancock said it was "unbelievable" to see a small minority flouting the government's advice to maintain social-distancing.

 

Other European countries such as Italy and France have imposed tougher restrictions on people leaving their homes.

 

Health experts said any move towards a ban on outdoor exercise was "deeply worrying".

 

"The health implications of the lock down that we anticipate – increased alcohol consumption, domestic violence, anxiety and depression, poor diet and decreased physical activity will get worse if we confine more of us to our homes without the hugely important respite that outdoor exercise provides," said Linda Bauld, a public health specialist at Edinburgh University.

 

Britain's death toll rose to 4,934 on Saturday after 621 people died in the previous 24 hours.

 

EXIT STRATEGY

Hancock said the timetable to ease restrictions - the lockdown exit strategy - could only be agreed once the spread of the coronavirus had been brought under control.

 

"Once we've flattened the curve in coronavirus cases we will be able to set out next steps. We are not there yet."

 

Neil Ferguson, a professor at Imperial College in London who has helped shape the government's response, said the epidemic in Britain was expected to plateau in the next seven to 10 days.

 

"What's critically important then is how quickly case numbers go down: do we see a long flat peak or do we, as we hope, see a much faster decline, and that really depends on how effective the current measures are," he told the BBC.

 

He said fatalities could be "anywhere between about 7,000 or so up to a little over 20,000".

 

The newly elected leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, said the government needed to publish its plan.

 

"People want to know how does this end," he said.

 

If restrictions were lifted too soon, however, a second wave of infection could occur, said England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries.

 

"The very last thing we would want to do is to have put in all of this effort, with everybody trying to do the right thing – almost everybody – across the country, and then finally lift the lid too early and we have a second spike," she said.

 

British media on Sunday reported disputes at the top of government over the exit strategy, with finance minister Rishi Sunak pushing for a path to be mapped out towards lifting the restrictions to help limit damage to the economy.

 

Hancock denied there was any rift. "We are working very closely together, and what matters is that we can get out of this as fast as possible," he told Sky News.

 

(Additional reporting by David Milliken and Kate Kelland, Editing by Mark Heinrich and Angus MacSwan)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-06

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Make people wear masks.

And they started with a Herd Mentality approach.

Now look at things very sad and poor decision.

And Boris Johnson is in the hospital.

Hope him the best.

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

And they started with a Herd Mentality approach.

Now look at things very sad and poor decision.

And Boris Johnson is in the hospital.

Hope him the best.

I think you meant "herd immunity" BKK6060 not "herd mentality" but however that is what is needed - so everyone follows what is set out in the guidelines by Govt.

Edited April 6, 20206 yr by 19DL86

They need men in long black leather coats,i have a job lot,perfect to ask "your papers,please'

Unworkable and they know it. Stopping people going out to exercise is something they can’t police and will cause the same increase in domestic abuse, mental health etc that they claim they are so concerned about. 
 

There aren’t enough Police Officers currently to do the basics let alone stop walkers/cyclists and ask what they are doing. 
 

“Where you going?” 
“To the Supermarket”

End of conversation. 
 

 

theyre now planning for all shops to open on May 1 as they reckon to have things under control by then plus the looming economic damage would be too great and never recover

 

brockley park has been closed due to groups of sunbathers having barbys and chatting and not observing the 2 metre rule

Staying in doors / in your garden is easy if indoors is bigger than a bed sit and you have a garden.

Surprised it hasn't happened already. If people continue to ignore the rules the way they currently are they will suspend the right to exercise outside and only allow people to make trips to buy new supplies. We will have to take exactly the same medicine as Italy.

I wonder how many people are actually defying the government instructions/advice?

 

Or is this another tabloid driven moral outrage?

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I wonder how many people are actually defying the government instructions/advice?

 

Or is this another tabloid driven moral outrage?

I have two local parks on my way to Waitrose. Sunday at noon and they were filled with people playing football and firing up BBQs. The ones not giving a <deleted>** appeared to be families or couples with friends. Shocking.