LONDON - The number of coronavirus
deaths in Britain jumped on Tuesday, the first day of a national
lockdown, while the government called for 250,000 volunteers for
the health service and announced a temporary hospital would open
in London next week.
In a TV message on Monday evening watched by more than 27
million people, Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered people to
stay at home, told nearly all shops to close and banned social
gatherings including weddings and baptisms.
However, public transport in London was busy during the
morning rush hour and the streets were far from deserted amid
confusion over the government's advice to workers.
The death toll from coronavirus in the United Kingdom has
jumped by 87 to a total of 422 - the biggest daily increase
since the crisis began.
Meanwhile, the economic devastation was underscored by a
survey that suggested the economy was shrinking at a record
pace, faster than during the 2008-09 financial crisis.
The unprecedented peacetime restrictions announced by
Johnson, which will last at least three weeks, are intended to
stop the state-run National Health Service (NHS), which suffers
from staff shortages at the best of times, being overwhelmed.
"These measures are not advice, they are rules and will be
enforced, including by the police," health minister Matt Hancock
told parliament.
At a news conference later, Hancock announced plans to open
a temporary hospital next week at the Excel Centre, a huge venue
in east London normally used for trade fairs and similar events.
"With the help of the military and with NHS clinicians we
will make sure that we have the capacity that we need so that
everyone can get the support they need," he said.
British Transport Police said 500 officers will be deployed
to train stations across the country to remind the public of the
government's advice to travel only when essential.
"SIGN UP TODAY"
Hancock called for 250,000 volunteers to help the NHS with
tasks such as delivering medicines from pharmacies, driving
patients to and from hospital appointments and phoning people
isolating at home to check up on them.
"If you are well and able to do so safely, I would urge you
to sign up today to help the most vulnerable people in our
communities as an NHS Volunteer Responder," Hancock said.
He also said the government had bought 3.5 million
coronavirus antibody tests so that people who suspect they have
had the virus would be able to find out for sure.
Despite the message for people to stay at home, some roads
were still busy and utility workmen and others were still
mingling close together.
Social media images showed the capital's underground trains
were packed with passengers closer than the 2-metre (6-foot)
recommended distance apart and the government said "appropriate"
construction work should continue.
"The government needs to urgently provide clearer guidance
on who should be working and who shouldn't," said Rebecca
Long-Bailey, the opposition Labour Party's business policy
chief. "No one should be asked to work if they are not providing
an essential function in this crisis."
"AGONISING CHOICE"
Under the curbs on movement, people should leave their homes
only for very limited reasons such as going to supermarkets for
vital supplies or for exercise once a day.
Police, who will be able to issue fines of 30 pounds ($35),
will now be able to break up gatherings of more than two people.
A snap YouGov poll found that 93 percent of Britons
supported the measures but were split on whether fines would be
a sufficient deterrent.
Supermarkets, where shelves have been stripped bare by
panic-buying in recent days, said they had begun limiting the
number of shoppers in stores at any one time, erecting barriers
outside, and installing screens at checkouts to protect staff.
Last week, the government announced billions of pounds of
help for businesses and said it would help to pay the wages of
employees, giving grants to cover 80% of a worker's salary if
they were kept on as staff.
But critics said it did not provide support for the
self-employed, who total about 5 million in Britain compared to
roughly 28 million employees, meaning they either had to keep
working or risk losing all income.
Finance minister Rishi Sunak told parliament the government
was working on measures to help self-employed people, but said
these had to be practical and fair. - Additional reporting by Alistair Smout, Sarah Young, Paul
Sandle, James Davey, David Milliken and William Schomberg.