Health officials are concerned that policies relating to the elderly must be handled carefully, to ensure that vulnerable pensioners do not end up neglected and isolated for long periods.

Last night, Government sources suggested that families should visit elderly relatives now to make sure they were prepared for such an eventuality.

Mothering Sunday falls in two weeks’ time, when many people will be planning to visit their elderly mothers.

New Department of Health guidance urges every household to consider who could deliver food, in the event that they are encouraged to self-isolate.

Amanda Solloway, the new science minister, warned that elderly people could be left feeling lonely and “cut off”, and urged friends and neighbours to stay in contact.

Prof Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, said there would probably come a moment when the elderly will be urged to avoid crowded areas and stay at home, but that point had not yet been reached.

Experts warn of risks over "stay home" policy for infected patients

Medical experts have called for careful handling of NHS plans for those with mild cases of coronavirus to stay at home, raising fears that patients who take a deadly turn for the worse could end up being missed.

On Thursday, health officials said about half of patients who had then been diagnosed with the virus were being treated at home, with plans to make this the future advice for all such cases if an epidemic takes hold.

Experts said the approach was sensible, given the warning by Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer (see video below), that the NHS has too few hospital beds to cope with the high numbers who may fall ill.