UK eyes plan to have over-70s isolate from virus for months
Kelvin Chan | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 8 months AGO
Shelves are empty in the fruit and vegetable section of an Asda store in London on Saturday, March 14, 2020. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)
Fewer tourists than usual visit Buckingham Palace after the Coronavirus outbreak in London, Saturday, March 14, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
A couple wearing face masks to protect against the Coronavirus outbreak as they look at their photographs after visiting Buckingham Palace in London, Saturday, March 14, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
People wear masks as they travel on a tube in London, Friday, March 13, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Runners at the start of the race during the Bath Half Marathon in Bath, England, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Despite coronavirus concerns, the half marathon has not been cancelled. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP)
Spectators enter the Arena Birmingham to watch the finals at the All England Open Badminton tournament in Birmingham, England, Sunday, March 15, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Two pedestrians cross the street wearing masks in Piccadilly Circus, London, Saturday, March 14, 2020. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described the worldwide pandemic as “the worst public health crisis for a generation.” (Hollie Adams/PA via AP)
Almost empty stadium area around Manchester United's Old Trafford Stadium, in Manchester, England, Saturday March 14, 2020, after all English soccer games were cancelled due to the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus. For most people, the new COVID-19 coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Empty check-in desks at the Jet2 desk at Edinburgh Airport, Scotland, Saturday March 14, 2020. British budget airline Jet2 apparently turned back in midair all its planes bound for Spain on Saturday as it announced the cancellation of all its flights to the country. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)
LONDON (AP) — The United Kingdom plans to escalate its virus-fighting measures, its top health official said Sunday, indicating that Britain is edging closer to tactics adopted by its European neighbors that so far the government has resisted.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Britain Conservative government is preparing the next phase of its action plan, which includes requiring the elderly to self-isolate, possibly for months. It's also planning to announce emergency legislation this week that will give the government extra powers, such as quarantining people who are sick but refuse to isolate themselves.
Britain has been taking a different approach from other countries across Europe and around the world by declining to heavily restrict everyday activities or introduce “social distancing” measures. The U.K. strategy is based on the presumption that most people will eventually get the COVID-19 virus and severe measures to contain it are unlikely to work.
But as infections rise in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so has criticism of the government’s approach from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political opponents, scientists, and an increasingly worried population. Britain's virus death toll rose to 35 on Sunday from 21 a day earlier while confirmed infections rose by 232 to 1,372.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the majority recover. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. Worldwide, some 156,000 people have been infected, over 5,800 have died and nearly 74,000 have recovered.
Hancock said the government will set out the emergency powers on Tuesday with a bill published two days later.
“We will do the right thing at the right time,” Hancock told the BBC. “We will publish the bill this week coming, we will change the law so that we take the power to be able to close mass gatherings if we need to.”
Hancock said authorities would be able to act if people are sick but refuse to self-isolate.
“We are going to take the powers to make sure we can quarantine people if they are a risk to public health, " he told the BBC, adding that he doubted there would be much need because people were being responsible.
Hancock told Sky the government would in the “coming weeks” require people over 70 to self-isolate for up to four months.
"We also need to take steps to protect the vulnerable, and we set out in the plan how we would be prepared to do that and to advise the elderly and the vulnerable who are most at risk from this virus to protect themselves, to shield themselves, by self isolating,” Hancock told Sky News.
British supermarkets, meanwhile, pleaded with customers not to panic buy, after photos circulated on social media of empty store shelves.
"We would ask everyone to be be considerate in the way they shop," a dozen supermarket copmanies said in an joint letter released by the British Retail Consortium. "We understand your concerns but buying more than is needed sometimes means that others will be left without. There is enough for everyone if we all work together."
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