Britain shuts down: Boris Johnson tells people to work from home, keep out of pubs and clubs and to stop ALL 'non-essential' social contact for 12 weeks as he reveals London is now 'a few weeks' ahead of rest of UK - as death toll hits 55
Boris Johnson plunged Britain into an extraordinary lockdown today - urging everyone in the country to stop all 'non-essential' contact with others.
The PM warned that the coronavirus was now in a phase of rapid spread across the UK, with London seeing a particular surge, and it was time to take radical action to stop the NHS being swamped.
Everyone should avoid contact that is not absolutely necessary - with restaurants, bars and cinemas and travel off limits, and an end to large gatherings. Admitting that the squeeze could last 12 weeks or even longer, Mr Johnson acknowledged he was 'asking a lot'.
Entire households should self-isolate for two weeks if one person has been showing symptoms, and older people should prepare to stay away from risks for months to come. He said that meant 'you should not go out, even to buy food or essentials'.
But unlike New York - where all bars and restaurants have been compelled to close by 8pm local time tonight - Mr Johnson said he would rely on businesses and Britons to follow guidance.
Mr Johnson also said he was not yet ordering schools to be closed, saying he still believed it could make matters worse.
At a dramatic press conference in Downing Street, as the UK coronavirus death toll spiked to 55, the PM said: 'If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities. If that is not possible, you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies.'
'Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and stop all non-essential travel. We need people to start working from home where they possible can. You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues.'
In a special plea to the capital, Mr Johnson said people there were at the highest risk. 'It looks as though London is now a few weeks ahead... it's important that Londoners now pay special attention to what we are saying about avoiding all non-essential contact.'
The moves - unprecedented in peacetime - quickly drew demands from MPs for guarantees that businesses will be propped up financially during the crisis.