Coronavirus has led the government to warn UK citizens against travelling outside the country as borders around the world slam shut, with Dominic Raab saying people who do travel should realise they may not be able to get back to Britain. When they do return, however, life may look very different. Boris Johnson has urged people to work from home and avoid non-essential travel – particularly in London.
Mr Johnson suggested curfews could be introduced and emergency legislation to be introduced today could give police the power to detain people suspected of being infected. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is also expected to announce emergency financial measures to shore up the economy.
In the US, where entire states have closed public schools and ordered venues to shut, Donald Trump said the “new normal” may last until August. And in Europe, officials have unveiled plans to block the non-essential entry of all foreign nationals for a 30-day period in the face of “huge pressure” on healthcare systems. France’s Emmanuel Macron has instituted what he called an unprecedented peacetime clampdown, restricting movement for 15 days and telling citizens: “You will no longer be able to see your loved ones or continue your daily routine.”
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Raab warns against all foreign travel
Bosnia update
Bosnia has declared a nationwide state of disaster over coronavirus, its prime minister has said.
V&A to close
The Victoria and Albert Museum has said all its sites will close from March 18 on a temporary basis.
A message on its website said: “The health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff is our highest priority. In line with the latest advice from Public Health England, all V&A sites (South Kensington, Museum of Childhood, Blythe House, V&A Dundee) will temporarily close from 18 March.
“While we are closed, please keep in touch on social media, visit our blog, or go behind-the-scenes in Secrets of the Museum on BBC iPlayer. We will continue to update our website and social media channels with the latest information and advice. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
PM’s own father says he’ll still go to pubs
Stanley Johnson has said he would still go the pub – despite his own son’s warning not to do so as part of new social distancing guidance.
The prime minister told the country to “avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues”.
Yet Stanley Johnson, 79, told ITV’s This Morning: “Of course I’ll go to a pub if I need to go to a pub.”
Shocked host Phillip Schofield said: “What do you think your son’s going to say to that – he’s just told you not to.”
Johnson Snr. Replied: “No he said we should avoid going to pubs, but if I had to go to a pub I’d go to a pub.” He also said landlords “need a little bit of people … they don’t want people to be not in the pub at all”.
Food banks forced to shut
Food banks across the UK are being forced to close or reduce the service they offer as the coronavirus outbreak leads to a decline in volunteers and a shortage in food donations, writes May Bulman.
Campaigners said people on low-incomes could be pushed further into the grip of poverty and social exclusion due to a decline in the voluntary services.
What you need to know about self-isolation
JCB worker treated
A worker at JCB’s Staffordshire site is being treated in hospital after contracting Covid-19, the company said.
A spokesman for the global building equipment giant said: “A Rocester-based JCB employee has contracted coronavirus and is currently being cared for in hospital. This is obviously very difficult news for the employee and family and friends.
“Following the press conference chaired by the prime minister yesterday, JCB is assessing how it might best respond to the new guidance, particularly in relation to home working.”
Democratic primary called off
Ohio has called off its presidential primary just hours before polls were set to open due to the “imminent threat” from Covid-19 in the state, its health director has said, writes Conrad Duncan.
Amy Acton, the director of the Ohio Department of Health, has declared a health emergency to prevent polls from opening over fears about exposing voters and volunteer poll workers — many of whom are elderly — to the coronavirus.
Human vaccine trial
China has green-lit human safety tests of an experimental coronavirus vaccine.
Researchers at China’s Academy of Military Medical Sciences, – affiliated to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – received approval to launch early-stage clinical trials of the potential vaccine starting this week, the ruling Communist Party’s People’s Daily reported on Tuesday.
Vietnam clamps down
Vietnam is to quarantine all arrivals from the US, Europe and ASEAN nations, its government has said. It will also suspend the issuing of new visas for all foreign nationals.
Trump stimulus bid
The Trump administration will ask Congress for an economic stimulus package as large as $850bn (£700bn) to battle the coronavirus amid a national shutdown, one day after Donald Trump warned a recession could be imminent.
‘Help us or get out’
New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has warned travellers they face being deported if they refuse to self-isolate in accordance with the country’s latest coronavirus restrictions, writes Kate Ng.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said: “We will look after you if you look after us. If you come here and have no intention of following our requirements to self-isolate, then frankly, you are not welcome and you should leave before you are deported.”
India travel ban update
India’s tough new travel ban on passengers from the EU, Turkey and the UK will include Indian nationals who want to come home from those countries, a senior sources in the Indian foreign ministry has confirmed, writes Adam Withnall.
All tourism to India has already been banned, but on Monday the healthy ministry said tighter measures would include a prohibition on “travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India”, effective from noon on Wednesday.
The order led to some confusion over whether even Indian nationals would be refused permission to return, but that was cleared up by an official on Tuesday who said the advisory “does not make any distinction between Indian and foreign nationals”.
Asked whether this would potentially mean Indians being stranded in European countries, even if their visas had expired, the official said: “These are extraordinary times due to the pandemic and a temporary measure. Our Missions will facilitate the visa extension and we hope the same will be agreed to by the EU countries.”
Major motorbike event cancelled
One of the biggest sporting events in Northern Ireland, the North West 200, has been postponed, organisers have announced. The road race was due to take place between 10 and 16 May.
Our paramount desire is to act responsibly and do all we can to protect everyone from the threat posed by the virus,” organisers said.
Sponsors and other stakeholders backed the move, they added.
‘US needs healthcare for all’
With the rapid global spread of coronavirus causing more than 170,000 infections as well as the collapse of economies around the world, its effective containment is becoming more important, writes Ahmed Twaij.
Donald Trump’s plan for the management of the disease, officially named Covid-19, is typical of a for-profit private healthcare system.
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the reasons why universal healthcare coverage is vital, and the disease has become one of the strongest arguments for Medicare for All.
Philippines deaths
There have been two more deaths in the Philippines linked to Covid-19, bringing the total to 14.
‘Don’t rely on travel operators’
It is no good to tell UK tourists abroad to “rely on the instructions of their travel operators”, Emily Thornberry has told Dominic Raab.
She said the companies had “all too often in recent weeks been at odds with the official Foreign Office travel advice and driven by the fear of insurance claims and bankruptcy – not by the needs of our citizens”.
UK embassy unresponsive
British citizens hit by a quarantine and travel restrictions in Peru have been unable to contact the British embassy there, Emily Thornberry has said.
Responding to Dominic Raab’s Commons statement, she told MPs: “Why is that? Because the embassy itself has decided to close down for 15 days just when its services were needed most.”
She said she had been told by a Briton in Cusco that “we have received no advice or assistance”.
Courts continuing
An example of the disruption to courts that we reported earlier.
Euro 2020 postponed
The Norway Football Association has announced that Euro 2020 has been postponed.
