Police officers will get increased powers to deal with coronavirus patients who are not self-isolating (Photo by Ryan Ashcroft/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Ministers are planning to give police the power to arrest people with coronavirus who are not self-isolating, the Health Secretary has confirmed.

Matt Hancock said ‘we will stop at nothing’ in tackling the Covid-19 outbreak as he detailed a series of severe measures the Government is considering.

Bars, restaurants and shops other than supermarkets and pharmacies could be shut while over-70s will be asked in the coming weeks to stay indoors for up to four months, he said.

Mr Hancock also confirmed a report that emergency legislation being drawn up by the Government will include allowing police the power to arrest infected citizens.


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‘We are going to take the powers to make sure that we can quarantine people if they are a risk to public health, yes, and that’s important,’ Mr Hancock told the Andrew Marr Show on the BBC.



‘I doubt that actually we will need to use it much because people have been very responsible.’

The emergency powers will be set out on Tuesday before the legislation is outlined in a Bill due to be published on Thursday, Mr Hancock said.

Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth asked for reassurance from the Government about some of the ‘very stringent powers’ ministers hope to introduce.

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock reveals the government’s strategy on the Andrew Marr show (Picture: PA)

The Government was hardening its response to the disease after the death toll in the UK rose to 21 while the number of people to have tested positive for the disease reached 1,140 on Saturday.

Ministers were also considering following Scotland in banning gatherings of more than 500 people to help stem the spread of the virus and reduce the burden they heap on public services.

What does self-isolation mean? Self-isolation means staying indoors and avoiding all contact with other people for 14 days, according to the NHS. It means no going to work, school, the shops or even to the park for some fresh air, in order to minimise the risk of passing on Covid-19. Public transport and taxis are a no-no and you shouldn’t have visitors over, even if you just stay at home. Anyone in self-isolation is advised to ask friends, family and delivery drivers to pick things up for you and drop them-off. You should put a sign outside telling people you are self-isolating and everything should be left on the floor outside your front door to avoid the risk of further infections. You should leave a sign outside your property if you have to self-isolate (Picture: PA)

Those who are self-isolating are still advised to stay away from their pets as much as possible and to wash their hands before and after touching them. If you live in a house share and have to self-isolate, the advice is to stay in your room with the door closed and only emerge to use communal kitchens, bathrooms and living areas if absolutely necessary. Who should self-isolate? The government advises anyone returning from Category 1 areas (Hubei, Iran, Italy and Daegu or Cheongdo in South Korea), to go straight home and self-isolate, even if they don't display any symptoms. Travellers should use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next. Anyone returning from Category 2 areas should self-isolate and call 111 if they have Covid-19 symptoms. You can find the list of those places here.