After weeks of criticism for his failure to act quickly as the coronavirus pandemic spread around the globe, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that all nonessential commercial activities should be halted in the United Kingdom after the number of infected coronavirus patients spiked overnight.
Johnson said that “we need to push down further on this curve” during a press conference given from No. 10 Downing St. on Friday afternoon. His announcement comes on the same day that 18 people died in London after contracting the coronavirus.
“Following agreement between all the four nations of the United Kingdom, all the devolved administrations, we will be telling cafes, bars, pubs, and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow,” the prime minister said.
“I know this seems to go against the freedom-loving instincts of the British people”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces further restrictions, adding “we will get through it together and beat this virus”https://t.co/p3XE5aYSok pic.twitter.com/Z5GPND0HQz
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 20, 2020
Johnson said there are no plans to utilize the military to keep people inside, and a spokeswoman for the prime minister dismissed claims that a London-specific quarantine was being considered.
“We’re also telling nightclubs, cinemas, theaters, gyms, and leisure centers to close on the same timescale,” Johnson added. “We will get through this together, and we will beat this virus.”
In the United States, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have taken measures to lock down their states in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. President Trump said on Friday that he does not believe a national lockdown is necessary.
