'Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel' to stop the spread of coronavirus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said
LONDON - Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday shut down social life in Britain and ordered the most vulnerable to isolate for 12 weeks, ramping up the battle against a coronavirus outbreak just as it accelerates towards it peak.
Johnson’s new finance minister, Rishi Sunak, was due to announce further support for businesses on Tuesday, a finance ministry source said, as many companies face a huge financial hit from the spread of coronavirus. The hospitality industry criticized the move, saying that since they were not being compelled to close, businesses would not be able to claim on their insurance.
Health minister Matt Hancock told parliament that non-time sensitive, elective surgery would be canceled or postponed. “This is unlike 2008, there isn’t a systemic problem within the economy,” Johnson said. “If we can get the disease under control ... then there is absolutely no reason why economies worldwide should not come roaring back.”The British government has faced criticism for no longer testing all suspected cases of coronavirus, and Whitty said testing was critical and Britain would scale it up. Earlier on Monday, the World Health Organization called on all countries to ramp up their testing program.
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