BBC: UK Moves to Next Stage in Coronavirus Strategy

The United Kingdom is moving to the next stage in coronavirus strategy. Anyone with a "new, continuous" cough or high temperature is now advised to self-isolate for seven days, as the UK government moves to the "delay" phase of its plan to tackle coronavirus, the BBC reports following a 45-minute live press conference headed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 

The BBC article reads that schools have been advised to cancel trips abroad, and older people and those with pre-existing health concerns have been told not to go on cruises.

PM Boris Johnson said this is "the worst public health crisis for a generation."

In total, 10 people have now died in the UK from coronavirus, and there are 596 confirmed cases across the country. However, the actual number of people infected could be between 5,000 and 10,000, the government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said at the same press conference.

As part of the new measures, testing will only focus on identifying people with the virus in hospital.

The number of UK cases rose by more than 100 on Thursday, up from 456 on Wednesday - with 491 in England, 60 in Scotland, 20 in Northern Ireland and 25 in Wales.

PM Johnson warned that the number of UK cases will "rise sharply", and said the next phase of the government's plan aimed to delay the spread of the virus "and thereby minimize suffering" and soften the peak expected within the next few months.

"Like other countries, the government is also considering calling for the suspension of major public events such as sporting fixtures - but this would be a measure primarily to protect public services," the article reads. 

Source: BBC

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