Coronavirus has forced European governments into lockdown as they attempt to curb the spread of the deadly disease. Italy, France and Spain have all announced very tough measures to limit the movement of people.
Boris Johnson has stepped up the country’s lockdown measures but many in Europe fear that his actions have come too late. Paris has even warned that is it prepared to ban Britons from France after showing disapproval with the Prime Minister’s tactics. Italy’s Giuseppe Conte has urged governments to follow his lead and implement a complete shut down of their country before it is too late.
Under the new restrictions imposed by the Johnson administration, people can leave their homes only for very limited reasons such as going to supermarkets for vital supplies or for exercise once a day. The unprecedented peacetime restrictions, which will last at least three weeks, are intended to stop the state-run National Health Service (NHS) being overwhelmed.
But social media images showed London Underground railway trains were packed with commuters. There were also complaints that the advice was confusing or did not go far enough. Julia Harris, a London nurse, said her morning train to work was full. “I worry for my health more on my commute than actually being in the hospital," she said.
Many building sites remained open, with construction workers among those crowding onto early-morning subways.
Electrician Dan Dobson said construction workers felt “angry and unprotected”, but felt they had to keep working.
"None of them wants to go to work, everyone is worried about taking it home to their families,” he said. "But they still have bills to pay, they still have rent to pay, they still have to buy food.”
British Treasury chief Rishi Sunak defended keeping construction sites open, insisting it could be done safely. But London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “I cannot say this more strongly: we must stop all non-essential use of public transport now. Employers: please support your staff to work from home unless it's absolutely necessary. Ignoring these rules means more lives lost.”
Many families were also confused by the new rules. After Johnson said people should not mingle outside of their household units, separated parents asked whether their children could still travel between their homes. In a series of television and radio interviews, Cabinet minister Michael Gove initially said children should not move between households, before clarifying that it was permitted.
Earlier advice for Britons to avoid gatherings was widely ignored, with people flocking to parks and beauty spots. Police will now break up gatherings of more than two people, and social events such as weddings - but not funerals - will be stopped.
Gove said stronger measures than 30-pound fines for people who flouted the new restrictions could be introduced. A snap YouGov poll found that 93 per cent of Britons supported the measures, but were split on whether fines would be a sufficient deterrent. The survey found 66 per cent thought the rules would be very easy or fairly easy to follow.
Supermarkets said they had begun limiting the number of shoppers in stores at any one time and installing screens at checkouts to protect staff.
Sports Direct, initially indicated it would defy the order to close but later said it had asked the government for permission to open stores. Gove said Sports Direct was not an essential shop and should close.
There was also ambiguity regarding what powers police had to enforce the new guidance. The government said police would have powers to break up illegal gatherings and fine people who flout the rules. But some expressed doubts about whether the lockdown could be enforced.
Britain has lost thousands of police officers during a decade of public spending and while Johnson has promised to recruit 20,000 more police officers, those efforts are still in the early stages. Unlike some other European countries, Britons do not carry ID cards, another factor complicating enforcement efforts.
Johnson has also warned that the National Health Service could be overwhelmed within weeks unless people took the lockdown seriously.
Britain's economy was now shrinking at a record pace, faster than during the 2008-09 financial crisis as businesses across the services sector are shut, according to a survey.
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