The government has updated its guidance to include overweight people in a list of those most at risk from coronavirus.

Those with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 40 have been deemed especially vulnerable to the new virus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday announced a series of stringent new measures in a bid to try and negate the effects of the infection.

People have been warned to prepare for months in isolation as health experts work to limit the spread of coronavirus.

New government guidance recommends that everyone adopts social distancing measures to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

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But those at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus have been advised to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.

For the first time this group includes those who are severely overweight and pregnant women.

The full list of those at increased risk includes:

People aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)

Those under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds) chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis

chronic heart disease, such as heart failure

chronic kidney disease

chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis

chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy diabetes

problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed

a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy

being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)

those who are pregnant

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In a further warning, the government has said that there are some clinical conditions which put people at an even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

They include:

People who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication

People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy

People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment

People with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)

People with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)

Anyone in this category will be contacted directly by the NHS with advice for more stringent measures next week.

For now, those people are asked to rigorously follow the social distancing advice.

Mr Johnson yesterday told a press conference that the latest advice could mean avoiding social contact for 12 weeks.

"This advice about avoiding all social contact is particularly important for people over 70, for pregnant women and for those with some health conditions," he said.

Under the latest Government advice, anyone living in a household with somebody who has the symptoms of a persistent cough or fever is being told to isolate themselves for 14 days.

The government guidance on social distancing can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults