London faces tougher coronavirus clampdown and schools could close first as capital is worst-hit
LONDON today faces a tougher coronavirus clampdown with schools likely to close as the capital is the worst-hit part of the country.
Plans are now being drawn up in a desperate attempt to try and prevent the deadly bug spiralling out of control.
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Ministers are ready to order a “harder” clampdown in the capital and an urgent review of whether to shut schools is being discussed.
Schools in Britain remain open however if the government orders them to shut their doors, it is believed the move will be rolled out in London first.
Yesterday, London Ambulance Service had its busiest day ever with around 8,000 calls.
LONDON CHAOS
As of yesterday, 480 of the 1,555 cases were in London, with a further 173 being in the South East.
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the nation will need to buckle down to tackle the virus wreaking havoc around the world.
The current death toll now stands at 56 deaths, as Brits could be stuck in limbo for 18 months waiting for a vaccine, restricted by significant changes to daily life.
Researchers warned 260,000 people could have died without the new drastic government measures brought in last night.
Brits have been told not to leave the house unless necessary and to work from home where possible, and avoid social contact.
Today it was announced the Ministry of Defence is planning to deploy 4,000 medics to help the struggling NHS deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
PANDEMIC
GPs, surgeons and nurses are being lined up as part of drastic measures to stop the spread of the killer bug.
It is feared many businesses will not survive the lockdown, as customers stay at home.
Today the UK Association of British Insurers said in a statement standard business insurance would not cover forced closures by authorities due to COVID-19.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock described it as "the most serious public health emergency that our nation has faced for a generation".
Confirming the rise in deaths in a statement to the Commons today, he said: "Our goal is to protect life.
"Our actions have meant that the spread of the virus has been slowed in the UK and I want to pay tribute to the officials at Public Health England and the NHS for their exemplary approach to contact tracing and their work so far”.
