Instant reaction: 1 million people remain indoors as "shielding phase" of Covid-19 response begins
22 March 2020, 18:23 | Updated: 22 March 2020, 18:30
Boris Johnson announced that 1 million at-risk Brits will be ordered to stay home with groceries and medicines delivered to their doors.
Dr. Jenny Harries, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Public Health England and Robert Jendrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government joined the Prime Minister at Downing Street on Mother's Day to brief the public on the announcement.
Minister Jendrick revealed that the NHS will contact over 1 million people in the coming days urging them to stay indoors for the next three months. Groceries and medications will be delivered to homes of those under the enforced lockdown, the Minister said.
If people don't practice social distancing, the Prime Minister warned that government will have to enforce more draconian measures of coronavirus action such as nationwide lockdown.
Andrew Pierce, consultant editor at The Daily Mail and LBC presenter joined Ian Payne to discuss the announcement.
According to Andrew, he believes that a bigger lockdown for the UK is on the horizon.
"This is extraordinary stuff" he said. He told Ian that the difficulty now for many will be whether or not parks and trusts will remain open for recreation and if they do, will people be able to practice social distancing to the standard required.
"It's almost like going back to the plague" Andrew said, referencing the measures whereby groceries and medicines will be left at doorsteps for at-risk people to collect themselves to prevent contagion.
Worried, Andrew imagined that the announcement will not be the last we hear about social distancing and a possible lockdown. He asked "do you think kids are going to stay at home?" when clarifying that there will be a difficulty in trying to keep social distancing as disciplined as possible.
To sum up, Andrew believed that in the coming days there will be an announcement from government telling the public that the UK is formally on lockdown.
"I wouldn't be surprised that in two days time the prime minister says, that's it, everything's shut"
Watch Andrew Pierce's reaction with Ian Payne above.
