
Which premises have to close and what happens if they still refuse to? Boris Johnson ordered social venues to close their doors last night. These are the sectors which are immediately affected: Food and drink venues

Pubs, bars and clubs

Cinemas, theatres, concert and bingo halls

Spas, indoor leisure and gyms

Casinos and betting shops

Museums and galleries In his press conference yesterday, Mr Johnson said: 'Clearly there are licensing arrangements which will make it relatively simple to do should that really be necessary. 'We will enforce it strictly, but in reality everyone can see the imperative of doing what is necessary, of protecting our NHS and saving lives.' Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 police and local authorities have the power to close down licensed premises which are deemed to be causing a nuisance or playing a central role in disorder. This raises the prospect of police being able to close down any drinking holes which refuse to call time. Advertisement

Police from today will be on the alert to close any pubs or bars that refuse to comply with the government's shutdown of social venues in the latest string of measures aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus.

Police forces were mobilised to enforce the shutdown, with chief constables engaging civil contingencies designed to respond to events such as rioting and terrorism, allowing longer shifts and making more officers available.

Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, officers have been granted the power to revoke operating licences for several different types of venues if they are deemed to be playing a role in disorder.

It comes after drinkers across the country enjoyed a final pint and panic-bought alcohol from supermarkets following Boris Johnson's order for all pubs, clubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and sports centres to close 'as soon as they reasonably can and not to reopen tomorrow'.

Ken Marsh, head of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: 'It's very simple. Under licensing laws we can revoke their licences, and then they are breaking the law.'

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt this morning welcomed the government's shutdown of pubs and restaurants, although he suggested the measures should have been enforced sooner.

But thousands of Friday night revellers ignored the government's advice on social distancing as they danced the night away despite the coronavirus death toll rising by 40 on Friday to 177, with almost 4,000 infected, although the real figure is believed to be greater than 10,000.

A sombre-looking PM said that measures outlined on Monday for people to voluntarily self-isolate now had to go further as he ordered premises to close their doors for an initial 14 days, after which it will be reviewed.

'We're taking away the ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub, and I can understand how people feel about that,' Mr Johnson said.

The Prime Minister's words were beamed out to revellers throughout Britain who had headed to the pub after a week at work, while others rushed to the supermarket to stock up on booze.

Meanwhile others were toasting Chancellor Rishi Sunak after he announced that the government will cover 80 per cent of salaries up to £2,500 each month, with workers staying on the books, and there will be no limit on the total cost.

The scheme will be up and running by April 1 and be backdated to the start of the chaos.

Experts forecast that Mr Sunak's intervention could save 800,000 jobs in Britain's workforce for when the country eventually emerges through the health emergency.

London and its nine-million population is ahead of the curve on coronavirus infections, according to scientists, but social media has been awash with pictures showing bars bursting at the seams with people seemingly indifferent to the risk in the capital.

Last night out: A group of friends pose for a picture and shout 'Coronavirus!' instead of 'Cheese' on Broad Street in Birmingham after Boris Johnson ordered pubs and nightclubs to close due to COVID-19 crisis

Make mine a double! Patrons were seen dancing at the Lord Stamford public house in Stalybridge on Friday night after the Prime Minister announced the unprecedented move to close all pubs to stop the spread of the coronavirus

Revellers tonight appeared to flout the government advice on 'social distancing' as they enjoyed themselves outside O'Neills pub in Clapham, London, ahead of the pub ban coming into force tomorrow

One reveller got a bit too excited and sprayed her friend with fizz after leaving O Bar on Broad Street in Birmingham which stayed open until midnight as the closure of thousands of pubs and bars came into place

A bar manager at the White Hart Pub in Ironbridge, Shropshire closes the bar at the final bell on Friday night after the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that all pubs were to remain closed from tomorrow in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus

A customer in The Cambrian Tap on St Mary Street, Cardiff after Boris Johnson announces that all pubs and bars must close tonight

Callum John (left), 20, and Connor Etchels (right), 22, from Birmingham, jokingly pose with a bottle of Corona Extra on Broad Street in the city centre whilst searching for an open club as several decided to close ahead of the midnight

Government to cover 80% of workers' salaries, defer VAT bills and increase welfare payments by £7billion Chancellor Rishi Sunak told Britons they will not face the coronavirus crisis 'alone' tonight as he unveiled a huge new coronavirus bailout. He said the government will cover 80 per cent of salaries up to £2,500 a month, with workers staying on the books of employers, and there will be no limit on the total cost. The scheme will be up and running by April 1 and be backdated to the start of the chaos. Some £30billion of VAT bills for the next quarter will be deferred, and there will be a £7billion boost to welfare to 'strengthen the safety net'. Renters will also get a £1billion fillip with housing benefit rising. 'For the first time in our history the government is going to step in and help pay people's wages,' Mr Sunak said. In a direct appeal to businesses not to sack people he said: 'The government is doing its best to stand behind you and I am asking you to do your best to stand behind our workers.' The massive rescue package, which will last an initial three months and be financed by borrowing, was unveiled by Mr Sunak and Boris Johnson at a press conference in Downing Street after furious complaints that they were not doing enough for ordinary people. Mr Sunak said: 'We're setting up a new coronavirus job retention scheme. Any employer in the country small or large, charitable or non-profit, will be eligible for the scheme. 'Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but are furloughed and kept on payroll rather than being laid off. 'Government grants will cover 80 per cent of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month - that's just above the median income.' There have been warnings that without action GDP could be slashed by a fifth and a million could lose their jobs within months - with many more to follow - after 'social distancing' measures brought the economy to a halt. Advertisement

As the UK death toll rose by 33 to 177 and total cases hit 3,983:

Government scientists warned social distancing measures of some kind might last for most of the year;

The export of paracetamol and other crucial medicines was banned;

A critical incident was declared at Northwick Park hospital in London as it warned it could no longer treat virus victims. It was later lifted;

Panic buying continued at supermarkets, with many forced to introduce measures to ensure emergency workers could still get food;

Headteachers warned schools would struggle to cope with looking after children of key workers;

Children were told to avoid team sport and ride bikes two yards apart;

GCSE and A-level grades will be based on teacher assessments;

Rail services will be reduced by as much as 50 per cent and the Tube limited to essential workers;

A man on the Isle of Man became the first to be arrested for failing to self-isolate;

Jaguar Land Rover halted UK production and a report warned 700,000 UK workers could lose their jobs;

The global death toll passed 10,000 and Italy had 627 more fatalities;

The World Health Organisation warned young adults they were 'not invincible' and can die from the virus.

Experts warned that Boris Johnson's coronavirus plan could fail and leave the NHS on the brink unless at least half the public obey self-isolation and 'social distancing' rules.

A swathe of newly-released evidence presented to ministers suggests that the fate of the PM's plan rests on convincing enough people to fall into line.

The extraordinary closure of leisure and hospitality venues, which does not include shops, came into effect at closing time last night. Restaurants, bars and cafes will be allowed to remain open as takeaways.

The restrictions will be reviewed on a monthly basis. Mr Johnson warned those going out could become 'vectors of the disease for older relatives with potentially fatal consequences'.

Yesterday, Mr Johnson told the daily live broadcast from Downing Street: 'You may be tempted to go out tonight and I say to you please don't, you may think that you are invincible - but there is no guarantee that you will get it.

'But you can still be a carrier of the disease and pass it on.'

He added: 'I do accept that what we're doing is extraordinary - we're taking away the ancient inalienable right of freeborn people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub.

'And I can understand how people feel about that.

'But I say to people who do go against the advice that we're getting, the very clear advice that we're getting from our medical and scientific experts, you know you're not only putting your own life, the lives of your family, at risk - you're endangering the community.

'And you're making it more difficult for us to get on and protect the NHS and save lives.

'And if you comply, if people comply as I say, then we will not only save lives, thousands of lives, but we'll come out of this thing all the faster.'

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth tweeted: 'We welcome Boris Johnson's decision to shut pubs, restaurants & other venues.

'We have been increasingly concerned that the social distancing measures needed were not being followed which is why we called for this earlier. We all have to adjust our behaviour to defeat this virus.'

The extraordinary closure of leisure and hospitality venues, which does not include shops, came into effect at closing time last night. Restaurants, bars and cafes will be allowed to remain open as takeaways. Pictured: Revellers stare in through a window at O Bar in Birmingham

One partygoer attempts a high kick as he walks with group of friends along Broad Street in Birmingham

Patrons at the Lord Stamford pub on Friday night made the most of their last opportunity to knock back drinks after the government said pubs were to be shuttered to stop the spread of the deadly contagion

Revellers drinking at the Globe pub in Borough Market on Friday night as Boris Johnson announced: 'I do accept that what we're doing is extraordinary: we're taking away the ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub, and I can understand how people feel about that ... It's a huge wrench.'

Revellers sip on drinks at a pub in Newcastle tonight after Boris Johnson's pub ban was announced, it is to come into force tomorrow, so people were making the most of their chance to knock a drink back

Young women hit the Newcastle strip on Friday night, heading for a drink in the last chance saloon after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that all pubs will be closed across the country from tomorrow

But while Birmingham, Newcastle and London partied on through to curfew, Manchester's Deansgate area stood eerily quiet as clubbers decided to take the night off while several bars closed

In Nottingham, revellers were left annoyed when The Joseph Else Wetherspoon began kicking out customers at 8pm, less than 24 hours after the company's boss Tim Martin said he would keep his chain of pubs open through the crisis

Pub-goers in the Red Lion in Westminster watch as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces that they are telling pubs, bars, cafes, theatres, and leisure centre to close in order to tackle the spread of the Coronavirus

Boris Johnson speaks at a Downing Street press conference last night where he announced an effective shutdown of pubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms, cinemas, leisure centres and theatres

Q&A Can I go to a friend's house for a drink? It is not advised, but the Government has not banned having visitors at home. Instead it is asking people to stay in touch online, on the phone or by post. Can restaurants still deliver food? Yes. The government announced this week it was suspending rules that force restaurants to apply to become takeaways. Can I continue to exercise in the park? As long as you maintain a safe two-metre distance from others. Can I continue to play football with my friends? You can use sports pitches and tennis courts. But football is a contact sport, which makes it hard to keep your distance. Can pubs deliver drinks? Yes, if their licence allows it. Will hotel bars be shut? Ministers have yet to confirm this. Advertisement

Meanwhile there was widespread criticism of multi-millionaire Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin, who said he intended to keeping his chain open, downplaying the risks to health.

The Conservative Party donor and boozer chain figurehead said yesterday, before the shutdown was announced, closing pubs was 'over the top' despite warnings from the government's chief scientific adviser that bars are a breeding ground for the deadly virus.

Mr Martin told the BBC that a 'sensible balance' was for pubs to implement 'social distancing' measures, like no standing at the bar, using cards and sitting at separate tables.

'Our main desire is that pubs should remain open, rather in the way that parliament has remained open,' he said. 'You'd be aghast if every MP was sitting next to every other MP, but it's right that it should stay open on a sensible basis.'

In response to Mr Martin's comments, the Prime Minister's deputy official spokesman simply said the government has, 'been clear about the importance of social distancing'.

Asked if he was nervous about criticising political supporters of Mr Johnson, the spokesman said: 'We've based all our decisions on the best scientific evidence and we will continue to do so.'

The PM this week was met with anger from the hospitality industry as he told people not to visit pubs, clubs and cafes - but stopped short of closing them, meaning venues are losing footfall and cannot claim insurance.

Meanwhile, foolhardy revellers continue to flock to pubs and clubs across the country as they ignore calls urging social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease.

Mr Martin told Sky: 'Supermarkets are very, very crowded. Pubs are much less crowded. There's hardly been any transmission of the virus within pubs and I think it's over the top to shut them.

'That's a commercial view but also a common sense view.'

He sparked further outrage as he told Sky that 'supermarkets posed more of a danger than pubs'.

The Wellington pub, in Aldwych, central London was among the drinking holes in the city to follow government advice and close to customers as the shutdown came into effect

The Eaton Farm Pub in Derbyshire has also shut to customers. Advertising outside saying 'Mum's eat for free on Mothers Day' will unfortunately be cancelled with the shutdown having no confirmed end in sight

Closure signs cover food adverting boards at the closed Vineyard pub on Upper Street, Islington

The PM this week was met with anger from the hospitality industry as he told people not to visit pubs, clubs and cafes - but stopped short of closing them, meaning venues are losing footfall and cannot claim insurance. Closed: The Local Hero in Leicester

Jimmy Birch, 35, who was enjoying a beer in Surrey Docks, London, lined up behind the Wetherspoons chairman and said: 'I don't see the point of closing down pubs.

'There are people travelling in closer proximity on the London underground so surely there is more danger of spreading the virus that way.

'People need places to go after work and particularly on a Friday evening. I think closing places down is taking it too far when the tube is still running and people are closer to each other.'

Mr Birch and his drinking pal Steven Parry, 34, who are tunnellers working on a sewage project in London, popped into the Surrey Docks pub at Rotherhithe not knowing this would be their last public house visit for some time.

Startling new data released on Wednesday night shows 29 percent of the first 2,500 cases of coronavirus in America were people between the ages of 20 and 44.

Of that number, 20 percent were hospitalised and 12 percent put in intensive care units. Some 55 percent of the cases were all under the age of 65.

Social media users have criticised Mr Martin's 'grossly irresponsible' stance and for 'putting money before health'.

Staff wear face masks at Mussel & Steak restaurant on Friday in Edinburgh. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the country's bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes must close tonight to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 100 people in the UK

A sign is seen outside a Pub in Burridge reading 'Panic buy beer while you still can' on Friday night, with another saying 'Beer take away £4 per pint'

CEO Tim Martin, pictured here with the Prime Minister last July, said yesterday that closing pubs was 'over the top' in spite of warnings from the government's chief scientific adviser that bars are a breeding ground for the deadly virus

Twitter users last night slammed people they had seen across Britain ignoring pleas to stay at home and help control the spread of coronavirus

Coronavirus strategy could FAIL and leave the NHS on the brink unless half of Britons obey 'social distancing' Boris Johnson's coronavirus plan could fail and leave the NHS on the brink unless at least half the public obey self-isolation and 'social distancing' rules, the government's own experts have warned. A swathe of newly-released evidence presented to ministers suggests that the fate of the PM's plan rests on convincing enough people to fall into line. One paper from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) dated March 9 says it might be 'unachievable' to get 50 per cent of the population to follow measures - including urging everyone to avoid all non-essential social contact and households isolating when one person has symptoms. It cautions that if the level falls far below that there could be limited effect in protecting the NHS from being overwhelmed. The documents will increase the pressure on the PM to force bars and pubs to close, saying they are 'higher risk' that public events, most of which have already been cancelled. The experts also cast significant doubt on Mr Johnson's claim that the 'tide can be turned' in the crisis within 12 weeks, saying restrictions will be needed for 'at least most of a year'. It suggests that Britain will be split into different zones, with 'hotspots' such as London and the Midlands facing tougher measures. Controls could also be eased and tightened depending on the speed of spread, as ministers try to avoid a flurry of cases breaking capacity in the health service. These would need to be in place for at least most of a year. Under such as policy, at least half of the year would be spent under the stricter social distancing measures. Advertisement

The hashtag, '#BoycottWetherspoons' is now trending on Twitter.

Many have urged him to use his platform in the same way as celebrities including Kylie Jenner, who has encouraged youngsters to stay at home.

Labour MP David Lammy yesterday tweeted: 'Yesterday the government's Chief Scientific Adviser said 'mixing in pubs and restaurants needs to stop'.

'Today the government is refusing to condemn Weatherspoon's owner Tim Martin for suggesting the opposite. Confusing messages will cost lives. Pubs and restaurants must close.'

Mr Martin yesterday said falling sales at the chain have dropped further after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told punters to stay at home and not visit Britain's pubs.

The pub chain said that sales, which had risen by 3.2 per cent in the previous six weeks, started falling by 4.5% in the week ending March 15, as the coronavirus pandemic scared customers off.

The decline picked up even further when the Prime Minister told people that it was vital they do not visit pubs in order to slow the spread of the highly infectious disease.

But despite warnings from the government's chief scientific adviser urging young people to stop going to the pub, he refused to close his bars, sparking anger among many.

He told Sky: 'Our aim is for pubs open for the duration. This could go on for a long time. I think that once you shut them down it's very difficult.'

Asked about Mr Martin's decision to keep his pubs open, the Prime Minister's deputy official spokesman said: 'We have been clear throughout that every decision that has been made, and will be made, has been made based on the best scientific advice.

'That will continue – we have heard the chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser talk about social distancing and we will continue to act on scientific advice.

'We have been clear about the need for social distancing. We have asked the public to do what they have to do, and we have been clear on the reasons for doing that.'

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said 'liberties and human rights need to be changed, curtailed, infringed' in order to protect people and prevent further coronavirus deaths.

He threatened to ban people from going to the pub and cafés in his stark address to the London Assembly last night.

Britain's Chief Medical Officer, meanwhile, has warned young adults they will not 'breeze through' coronavirus.

Chris Whitty said: 'It is clear that children get this disease much less strongly than adults, I think the data on that is pretty strong now, and it certainly is the case that the majority of those that end up dying sadly are people who tend to be either in the later part of their lives, usually quite elderly, or those with pre-existing health conditions.

'But there are also some young people who have ended up in intensive care or who have ended up with severe disease around the world.

PM cautions Britons against Mother's Day visits Britons have been urged by the Prime Minister to 'think very carefully' before paying a Mother's Day visit. Boris Johnson said that a moral judgment must be made to save potentially thousands of lives. Mr Johnson said: 'I think my advice would be that people should really think very carefully – irrespective of whether they're visiting their mother – of visiting any elderly person who will be in a vulnerable group. Asked whether he would be seeing his own mother, 77-year-old Charlotte Johnson Wahl, the PM said he would 'certainly be sending her my very best wishes and hope to get to see her'. A Downing Street source later clarified that Mr Johnson will use video call service Skype to speak to his mother on Sunday. Advertisement

'I think it's important that we don't give the impression that every single person who is young and healthy is just going to breeze through this.'

And the government's chief scientific adviser begged young people to stop going to the pub and claims the UK cannot beat coronavirus if they keep flouting home confinement rules.

Sir Patrick Vallance slammed young people's complacency and said 'mixing' in bars and restaurants 'needs to stop' because it is allowing the disease run rampant.

Sir Vallance warned a coronavirus vaccine was still at least six months away and said the only way the outbreak could be delayed until then was if everyone stuck to the Government's tough new social restrictions.

His plea came after Britons were filmed partying into the early hours in packed pubs and nightclubs around the country this week, defying ministers.

Social media users slammed drinkers pictured last night out and about in Leeds.

Jeremiah Hyde wrote: 'Shocking isn't it!? Some London pubs are packed. Dangerous irresponsible idiocy.'

Another, @Etherea68347170, added: 'People aren't exercising social distancing, bars are packed! Please Boris, for the love of God... and your people... shut the pubs!'

Will Saville commented: 'People are so stupid going into pubs, clubs, gyms. So selfish when the NHS are warning people against social contact yet people are quite happy to be packed into one place.'

People out on Friday evening drinking in bars in Newcastle city centre as the announcement is made all bars and clubs will shut at midnight tonight due to covid-19

People in a pub after Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson annouced that cafes, pubs and restaurants across the country to close on Friday night to help stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Westminster, London

Drinkers head to bars in Leeds tonight, the doorman can be seen with a mask covering his face amid the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus

People relax outside a pub in Newcastle this evening after Mr Johnson made the unprecedented decision to close Britain's pubs

The government's chief scientific adviser begged young people to stop going to the pub and claims the UK cannot beat coronavirus if they keep flouting home confinement rules. Sir Patrick Vallance slammed young people's complacency and said 'mixing' in bars and restaurants 'needs to stop' because it is allowing the disease run rampant. Pictured, this graphic shows how pubs can be a breeding ground for the virus - from friends chatting while potentially carrying Covid-19, to glasses being passed from barman to punter

A Wetherspoon press release at The Grove branch, in Stratford, makes clear Mr Martin's response to Boris Johnson's guidance earlier this week. He tells customers a lockdown would be a 'tactical error', adding the impact on the hospitality industry would be 'colossal'

Drinkers watch a live broadcast of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's daily press conference on a television screen in a Wetherspoons pub in Victoria, London

Revellers drinking at the Globe pub in Borough Market on Friday night as Boris Johnson announced: 'I do accept that what we're doing is extraordinary: we're taking away the ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub, and I can understand how people feel about that ... It's a huge wrench.'

Night time falls over The Broken Cross public house as it serves its last pints to customers before the Coronavirus calls time on pubs on Friday in Knutsford

On Monday, Boris Johnson ordered the country to avoid socialising, going to work or using public transport indefinitely in a desperate bid to contain the escalating crisis.

So far the highly contagious coronavirus has officially killed at least 137 people in the UK and infected 2,695. Experts estimate the true number of infections to be over 80,000.

Sir Patrick told the briefing organised by the respected Science Media Centre: 'It's really important... unless everybody looks at the measures that have been introduced by the Government on trying to encourage social distancing, unless everybody does that, it doesn't have the effect.

'What we absolutely shouldn't encourage is the idea that young people can somehow ignore it [social distancing] because they're going to be fine [if they catch it].

'The mixing in pubs and restaurants is really part of allowing the disease to spread. It needs to stop among young people - as well as older people.'

VACCINE WILL TAKE LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS, UK'S CMO WARNS Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty admitted yesterday a vaccine would not 'come to the rescue' in six months as he admitted the coronavirus was now here to stay. He told the SMC briefing in London: 'However much we would like there to be a vaccine riding to the rescue in six months time. 'Currently, we think that's improbable. So now we've got to work on a different theoretical framework for actually managing this epidemic.' Professor Whitty added that eradicating the disease in a matter of months war near-impossible. He said: 'It is our judgement, and it is my judgement certainly, if you look around the world, the idea that we're going to put this virus back to going away and completely whilst not theoretically impossible, seems so improbable that based on scientific theory that is something we are trying to do. Seems to me a mistake.' Professor Whitty said normal public health responses to a disease, like those used to isolate ebola in West Africa were no longer likely to be effective against what was now a global pandemic virus. He said those tools such as containing and isolating infected people might work for some countries but the stage of the epidemic in the UK had gone beyond that position. Advertisement

At the same press briefing, Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty, also urged young people not to get complacent about catching the virus.

He admitted it was mostly older people and those with chronic conditions, but pointed to a small number of young people who've ended up in intensive care.

Professor Whitty said: 'It is clear that children get this disease much less strongly than adults, I think the data on that is pretty strong now, and it certainly is the case that the majority of those that end up dying sadly are people who tend to be either in the later part of their lives, usually quite elderly, or those with pre-existing health conditions.

'But there are also some young people who have ended up in intensive care or who have ended up with severe disease around the world.

'I think it's important that we don't give the impression that every single person who is young and healthy is just going to breeze through this.'

He added the 'great majority' of people will suffer no symptoms or mild to moderate symptoms, but a very small proportion of young people 'will have severe disease even though they are young and healthy'.

Professor Whitty continued: 'It's important we're clear in not trying to say 'really, really worry', but we also need to be clear in saying this is not a trivial infection for everybody, even if they are a young adult.'

The CMO admitted there were 'significant health and social downsides' to strict social distancing measures, which discouraged the Government from implementing them sooner.

Ministers' original 'contain and delay' strategy was given the green light because the downsides of social restrictions did not outweigh the upsides, he added.

But Professor Whitty said that the crisis had now escalated so much that the consensus had changed.

When asked about long-term strategy he added: 'Clearly a vaccine is one way out of this but we don't expect that to happen quickly. Globally... science will help us over time.'

WHO boss Tedros Adhanom tells youth to take coronavirus seriously The head of the World Health Organization has warned young people that they should take coronavirus warnings seriously as they are 'not invincible'. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the bug could put a young person 'in hospital for weeks' and could even be deadly while speaking in a virtual press conference in Geneva. Dr Ghebreyesus said: 'Today I have a message for young people: you are not invincible. This virus could put you in hospital for weeks - or even kill you. 'Even if you don't get sick, the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else.' Advertisement

Professor Whitty and Sir Patrick agreed that a vaccine would not 'come to the rescue' in six months, and it was likely to take far longer.

Professor Whitty said: 'However much we would like there to be a vaccine riding to the rescue in six months time.

'Currently, we think that's improbable. So now we've got to work on a different theoretical framework for actually managing this epidemic.'

In a bid to delay the peak until then, ministers are mulling a decision to put London into total lockdown within days.

Some 20,000 troops were put on standby overnight and the Prime Minister refused to rule out the possibility of 'further and faster measures' to control the spread of the virus on the busy streets of the capital, where the epidemic is running ahead of the rest of the country.

Mr Johnson said 'ruthless' enforcement of so-called social distancing measures – such as working from home and avoiding social gatherings in pubs, cinemas and restaurants – was needed.

Professor Whitty added that eradicating the disease in a matter of months war near-impossible.

He said: 'It is our judgement, and it is my judgement certainly, if you look around the world, the idea that we're going to put this virus back to going away and completely whilst not theoretically impossible, seems so improbable that based on scientific theory that is something we are trying to do. Seems to me a mistake.'

WHAT SHOULD EVERYONE BE DOING TO STOP THE CORONAVIRUS SPREADING? Avoid social contact

Work from home if possible

Avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other social venues

If someone in your household has symptoms of coronavirus (cough, fever or unusual shortness of breath), everyone in the home self-isolate for 14 days

If isolating, only go outside for exercise, and do it away from other people

Ask for help with daily necessities like food and medical supplies

If that is not possible - for example if you live in a remote area - you should limit social contact as much as possible

Vulnerable groups should self-isolate for 12 weeks from this weekend even if they have no symptoms – This includes people aged 70 and over and other adults who would normally be advised to have the flu vaccination, including people with chronic diseases such as chronic heart disease or chronic kidney disease, and pregnant women. A full list is here

All unnecessary visits to friends and relatives in care homes should end

Continue to take your children to school unless they or someone else in your home has symptoms of the coronavirus (cough, fever or unusual shortness of breath)

Londoners need to socially distance and work from home even more than the rest of the UK because the disease is more widespread there

Mass gatherings should not happen – they will no longer receive emergency services' protection if they do go ahead Advertisement

Professor Whitty said normal public health responses to a disease, like those used to isolate ebola in West Africa were no longer likely to be effective against what was now a global pandemic virus.

He said those tools such as containing and isolating infected people might work for some countries but the stage of the epidemic in the UK had gone beyond that position.

When asked about different strains of the virus, Professor Whitty said 'with a strong caveat of scientific speculation' that it was expected to mutate.

He said there was a chance that the virus could mutate 'around the vaccine', but that some mutations could be 'actually useful'.

'Smaller mutations... help to track family trees of the virus,' said Prof Whitty, adding that this would help scientists to understand and tackle the disease.

Sir Patrick added that the UK was 'absolutely world-class' in addressing viral mutations.

Professor Whitty also warned that Britons will die both directly and indirectly during the epidemic.

He said: 'People die in these epidemics... for two reasons. They die directly of the infection, unavoidably, best medical care, sadly this is still going to happen for some people.

'But also they can die because the health service they are in is overwhelmed and therefore there's an indirect death because there's a difference between what could happen with health and what we were able to provide in this situation.'

On reducing the peak of the infection, he added: 'It has an additional advantage, if you let an epidemic run its full course you get what's called overshoot where more people get infected than you would need if it were to run at a lower peak.

'Actually by lowering the peak you reduce the overall number of people who will get the infection.'

Boarded up Britain: Body blow for businesses as pubs, cafes and restaurants forced to shut

By Larisa Brown for the Daily Mail

Coronavirus 'won't spark rioting' Rioting and crime is unlikely during the pandemic, according to the Government's scientific advisers. They believe law and order will break down only if ministers are incompetent or large numbers of police fall sick. The experts on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behaviour said: 'Acts of altruism will likely predominate and the Government could promote and guide these.' But they warned of potential flashpoints such as over-stretched healthcare facilities and shortages of goods. Low officer numbers could lead to 'a perception the police have become disempowered' and 'a rise in opportunistic crime by those who are already antagonistic towards the police'. The government should promote 'a sense of collectivism', the advisers say Advertisement

Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants were forced to close last night in an unprecedented move that will change the face of the high street.

Boris Johnson also told theatres, cinemas, gyms, leisure centres, betting shops, casinos and nightclubs to shut indefinitely to save thousands of lives.

Licensed premises that fail to comply could have their licences revoked in the crackdown on social gatherings.

However, many shops, supermarkets, newsagents, department stores, dry cleaners, hairdressers, pharmacies and post offices can remain open – and bars, cafes and restaurants will still be able to provide takeaway services.

Announcing the seismic changes, Boris Johnson said: 'We are telling cafes, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow.

'We're also telling nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close on the same timescale.

'These are places where people come together. Indeed, the whole purpose is to bring people together. The sad thing is, for now, at least physically, we need to keep people apart.

'If people comply, then we will not only save lives – thousands of lives – but we'll come out of this thing all the faster.'

Mr Johnson said 75 per cent of the population needed to remain indoors for there to be a beneficial effect. But his spokesman said that target had not been reached yesterday, despite the public being urged to avoid social gatherings.

Instead, photographs emerged of revellers flouting pleas to stay at home by partying in nightclubs across London, which has been hit hard by the virus.

Asked how the ban would be policed, the PM said it would be enforced 'strictly', if necessary through licensing rules.

Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants were forced to close last night in an unprecedented move that will change the face of the high street. Pictured: The Fat Walrus lies silent in New Cross, south London

Stacks of empty chairs are lined up outside The Coat and Badge pub in West Putney as staff clear the pub for a extended closure

'Clearly there are licensing arrangements which will make it relatively simple to do should that really be necessary,' he said.

He said people had already made a 'huge effort to comply' with social-distancing policies to halt the spread of the disease and there had been a 'big reduction' in the number of pub-goers.

But he warned it was 'becoming clear in order to drive that curve down, to reduce social gathering, we need to be making absolutely clear that we are going to enforce these closures'. However, No10 said there was no suggestion that the police would be drafted in. Mr Johnson said he believed everyone would see the 'imperative in protecting the NHS and saving lives' and do what was needed.

Pub and nightclub owners were told to shut their doors as soon as possible last night, with all of them expected to be closed by today.

Mayor of London threatened to close pubs before PM ordered shutdown The Mayor of London hit out at people who continued to go to pubs and warned he would 'infringe' their human rights - before Boris Johnson stepped in to close them anyway. Sadiq Khan said 'liberties and human rights need to be changed, curtailed, infringed' in order to protect people and prevent further coronavirus deaths. He threatened to ban people from going to the pub and cafés in his stark address to the London Assembly last night. The Mayor said he was concerned that people were still not doing enough to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. He said: 'Our liberties and human rights need to be changed, curtailed, infringed — use whatever word you want. 'I am concerned about people not following the advice. 'There are still too many people being witnessed on our streets, in our bars, in our cafés, using the Tube, using our buses.' The Mayor said he would be working from home, 'wherever possible', to 'set the best possible example' as he told Londoners to do the same. Mr Khan added: 'The advice from the government is just advice, and I think that provides a mixed message. 'We may move to a situation where we move from advice to bans. 'I can't say this clearly enough. People should not be travelling by any means unless they absolutely must. The scientific advice on this is very clear. 'Londoners should be avoiding social interaction unless absolutely necessary, and this includes avoiding using the transport network.' The mayor told the London Assembly that all residents of the capital should 'strictly follow' the official advice and added that he would be working from home as much as possible. Advertisement

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the measures would be in place for 14 days, after which they would be reviewed so their effectiveness could be reviewed. Mr Johnson added: 'Some people may, of course, be tempted to go out tonight, and I say to those people, 'Please don't'.'

He said he wanted people to stay at home where possible, and warned those going out that they could become 'vectors of the disease for older relatives, with potentially fatal consequences'.

However, he accepted that what he was asking of the British public was extraordinary, adding: 'We are taking away the ancient, inalienable right of the free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub – and I can understand how people feel about that.

'But I say to people who do go against the advice that we are getting from our medical and scientific experts that you are not only putting your own life and the lives of your family at risk, but you are endangering the community and you are making it more difficult for us to get on and protect people's lives and the NHS.' Asked whether closing pubs and bars would encourage people to have parties at home instead, he said: 'Obviously, we cannot forbid every form of socialising. Of course we are not doing that.

'What we are saying is, the risk is that they will become vectors of the disease for older relatives with potentially fatal consequences.'

Nik Antona, chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: 'Whilst the pubs industry will be devastated by the decision to force closure, it is exactly the type of decisive leadership that has been called for this week as many pubs hung in limbo.

'Pubs and the wider hospitality industry now have clear instruction that closing their doors is the right thing to do, and the confidence that the Government will support their staff and business.'

Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, said children who aren't in school should also reduce social contact. She added: 'The basic strand through all these measures is about social distancing and reducing our social interactions.

'We are not saying don't go outside, but go in a way that reduces your social contact.

'Two metres apart for a bike ride with a buddy is fine.'

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