Politics

London pubs, cinemas and gyms may close in Covid-19 clampdown


A fresh clampdown on London – with pubs, cinemas and gyms being ordered to close to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic – is under discussion by the government.

The Guardian understands a meeting is being held on Friday at which a decision will be made – but the sense inside government is that it has become increasingly inevitable more draconian restrictions will have to be put in place.

An announcement could be made within hours, with concern growing among crisis planners that too many people are continuing to ignore social distancing advice – making the spread of the virus more likely.

The capital is the target of tougher measures because it has the highest rate of infection and deaths so far in the UK – about a third of the total.

London cases map

Debate within government is continuing about whether non-essential shops – those not selling food or medical supplies – would be included in the ban.

The government had been considering a formal ban on Thursday and was braced to announce it but pulled back. Among senior government figures there is a deep reluctance to issue banning orders.

Ministers have been under growing pressure to act more decisively, with the shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth, calling on Friday for immediate action. “It is time for resolute action and not just advice. The prime minister must take urgent steps today,” he said.

“Many are now questioning why pubs and restaurants are still open. It’s not good enough to ask people simply not to go to pubs. Government must act now, shut them while protecting the income of staff and supporting business. If ministers don’t think it’s correct they must explain why.”

Symptoms are defined as either:

  • a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
  • a new continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly

NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days.

If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine. But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they’re at home for longer than 14 days.

Information: If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days.

If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.

After 7 days, if you no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine.

If you still have a high temperature, stay at home until your temperature returns to normal.

If you still have a cough after 7 days, but your temperature is normal, you do not need to continue staying at home. A cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.

Source: NHS England on 18 March 2020

Ashworth has up to now been largely supportive of the government’s approach to the crisis; but Labour has become increasingly concerned that Boris Johnson’s anti-nanny state approach is hampering the UK’s ability to suppress the virus.

Officials believe they would have the power to order bans even without special emergency laws drafted specifically to battle the pandemic.

Crisis planners and government advisers have been looking at data, such as for transport usage in the capital and hospital admissions, to assess if the pleas made on Monday for people to stay home were being heeded.

Continuing anecdotal evidence of Londoners, especially the young, continuing to go to pubs despite repeated requests to keep away has led to ministers believing they may have no choice but to issue the ban.

Outlets selling cooked food may be allowed to stay trading, and restaurants that turn themselves into takeaways are expected to be allowed to remain open.

Among some officials there is a view that the first few days after the prime minister’s plea on Monday for people to stay home were likely to be when it was best observed. This led to concerns that the levels of people ignoring the advice may increase, and with it the spread of the virus.

Planners are trying to keep the number of infected people needing intensive hospital treatment after contracting the virus below the predicted NHS capacity. The NHS in the capital is described as already “close to the edge” in terms of how many critically ill people is can look after at any one time.


There had been signs of the pleas to Londoners to avoid gathering in social spaces was in part working. By Thursday, tube use in London was down almost 70% overall according to the latest data, with the trend showing sharp day-on-day falls. On Wednesday, the usage was 50% down. Bus use remains almost 40% down compared with normal, broadly the same figure as for the preceding 24 hours.

More pressure is expected on NHS critical care as the number of Covid-19 cases rise, with patients needing oxygen or ventilation machines, and crucially, the staff skilled enough to operate them.

More capacity for critical hospital care is coming on-stream, with beds freed up and staff redeployed and retrained, but planners need to keep that predicted increase in capacity ahead of a near-certain expectation of a soaring rise in severe cases when the peak is hit sometime in May.



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