MATT Hancock has threatened to ban ALL exercise outside if Brits won’t stick to lockdown rules – as he blasted sunbathers for refusing to obey them.
After photographs of people ignoring the rules and spending their weekends lying around sunning themselves, the Heath Secretary came out to remind them they were risking lives.
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The number of deaths rose by 700 yesterday – the highest amount since the crisis began.
Mr Hancock told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show today: “If you don’t want us to take the step to ban exercise of all forms outside the home, you have got to follow the rules.
“Let’s not have a minority spoiling it for everybody.”
And he told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday this morning: “To the very small minority who are continuing to flout the guidance – you are putting others lives at risk and you are putting yourself in harms way.”
He said it was “quite unbelievable” that some were openly ignoring the advice to only go outside for just four reasons – exercise, work, fetching medicine or food, or taking care of the vulnerable.
“We are crystal clear in the guidance what people should or shouldn’t do,” he stressed.
“This is not a request, it’s a requirement.
“People need to follow it.”
If you don’t want us to take the step to ban exercise of all forms outside the home, you have got to follow the rules.
Matt Hancock
The ignorant sunbathers ignored warnings from Britain’s chief nurse on Friday afternoon, who begged them to listen.
Ruth May urged them to do it for the two nurses, both mothers, who lost their lives in the Covid-19 fight this week.
Aimee O’Rourke, 38, and Areema Nasreen, 36, sadly passed away after treating coronavirus patients on the frontline.
Two other healthcare assistants have also died in the last 24 hours – with nine medics now killed by the virus.
Boris Johnson also stressed to the public they must avoid the temptation of enjoying the good weather this weekend.
He said today: “Thank you to everyone who is saving lives by staying at home this weekend.
“I know it’s tough, but if we all work together and follow the guidance, we will beat coronavirus.”
Britain is set for temperatures of 20 degrees today, and there are fears Brits will continue to flout the rules to get out and enjoy the good weather.
Yesterday Brockwell Park in London said it would close after 3,000 people “ignored” the rules.
Cassiobury Park in Watford is also closed after hundreds chose to head for a picnic in the sun rather than obey government guidelines, as well as Lundersten Bay in Scotland.
Police in the UK capital were also forced to break up an 18th birthday attended by 25 guests who flouted the social distancing guidelines set out by the government amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Surrey Road Police also shared a shocking video of Richmond Bridge in West London packed with people out walking along the Thames.
In a tweet, they urged Brits to “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stay at home.”
Police were also out in force in Brighton in case Brits descend on the seaside town to enjoy the mini heatwave.
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Mr Hancock also said that eight per cent of NHS staff are off sick with coronavirus – which would be around 100,000 out of the total 1.2million workforce.
The Health Secretary, who has spent the last week sick with coronavirus himself, is now back up and out and about but the PM is still at home isolating.
Mr Hancock insisted Boris was “okay” and the pair are still talking several times a day.
“He has his hand on the tiller,” he said. “But he has still got a temperature.
It showed that the virus can affect different people differently, he said.
“I had two pretty rough days and then I bounced back,” he said. “Some people do get it very mildly, and some get it very seriously.
“The PM is not at that end of the spectrum.”
The news came as a fresh study showed the confidence in the Government’s handling of the crisis has dropped this week.
A survey by Opinium revealed that last week two-thirds of people approved of Downing Street’s actions, but this has now fallen to 52 per cent.
Meanwhile the number who disapprove has risen to 29 per cent.
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