Coronavirus: UK in lockdown as Boris Johnson introduces new measures

In a televised address Boris Johnson told everyone to stay at home, and banned gatherings of more than two people in public.

With immediate effect, people will only be allowed to leave their home for shopping – the basic necessities as infrequently as possible - one form of exercise a day, for example, a run, walk or cycle alone, or any medical need to provide care, or to help a vulnerable person.

The Prime Minister said people would also be allowed to leave to travel to and from work, “but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.”

Johnson told people that they should not be meeting friends, and family members who do not live with them.

He said: “If you don’t follow the rule the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings. 

“To ensure compliance with the government's instruction to stay at home we will immediately close all shops selling non essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores and other premises, including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms and places of worship. 

“We will stop all gatherings of more than two people in public, excluding people you live with and will stop all social events, including weddings baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals.

"Parks will remain open for exercise, but gatherings will be dispersed."

Moments later, Nicola Sturgeon moved to set out what this means for Scotland. 

“Let me be blunt, the stringent restrictions on our normal day to delays that I'm about to set out are difficult, and they are unprecedented. They amount effectively to what has been described as a lockdown. 

“I know how difficult, all of that is and I am not going to seek to sugarcoat it in any way. But these measures are essential for the protection of all of us, coronavirus is the biggest challenge of our lifetimes, and the measures we take to tackle it must reflect the magnitude of that.”

Sturgeon said the measures were essential to slow down the spread of this virus. 

“The advice is clear, it is strong, and it is firm, you must stay at home.”

The First Minister said while funerals were still allowed to go ahead, she said they would be restricted to immediate family only. 

“Make no mistake, I know how hard this is, but I want to repeat that this is essential, and my duty to you, means that I cannot shy away from telling you that”.

Sturgeon said emergency legislation would give ministers in Scotland powers of enforcement. 

We will use those powers of enforcement if that is necessary. It is no exaggeration to say that leaves depend on all of us complying with these requirements.

“Between now and these powers being in place if the police find people or premises floating these rules they will give strong advice to people to cease and do the right thing. 

“But within days they will be able to follow up that up with enforcement which is likely to take the form of fines. But let me be clear. I really hope and expect that the issue of enforcement will never be more than an academic one. I hope and expect that everyone will understand that complying with these rules is in the interest of all of us.”
Sturgeon added: “I spoke a couple of days ago about the importance of all of us looking out for each other. And this is a vital part of how we do that. If we do all of these things, if all of us do all of these things, if we all agree, however difficult to restrict our own lives for a period, then many fewer of us will die of this virus than would otherwise be the case. 

“That means many more of us will come through this, and out the other side of it, and perhaps do so more quickly to resume the freedoms and the lifestyles that we have for so long cherished and taken for granted. 

“I said a few days ago that this crisis was reminding us all of the fragility of life and the world we live in, but that it was also reminding us of what matters most, health, love, and solidarity.”