• Government urges up to 1.5 million people in England who face the highest risk of being hospitalised by the virus to shield themselves and stay at home
• People with specific underlying health conditions, including some being treated for cancer, will be contacted by the NHS this week
• Plans also unveiled to deliver groceries and medicines for those most at risk from the virus where needed

Up to 1.5 million people in England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract coronavirus should stay at home to protect themselves, the Government urged today (Sunday 22 March). 

They will receive communication shortly with detailed advice on behalf of their GP practice or specialist on how best to protect themselves.  

A raft of new measures, including a helpline for the most in need of support, have been set out for those considered to be extremely vulnerable due to their medical conditions, so people know exactly how to care for themselves and others in the coming months.   

It was also announced that a new Local Support System will make sure those individuals self-isolating at home and who are without a support network of friends and family will receive basic groceries. Community pharmacies will support those who need help getting their medicines delivered.  

The Government is working with a partnership of the groceries industry, local government, local resilience and emergency partners, and voluntary groups, to ensure that essential items can start to be delivered as soon as possible to those who need it. The people identified as the most vulnerable in their communities will be contacted directly – including in person where necessary – as a priority. 

Members of the armed forces, already in local communities helping Local Resilience Forums and local councils on their coronavirus response plans, will support this effort and are at the heart of local planning in response to this crisis.    

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:

Public safety and making sure that those most at risk from the virus continue to get the support they need throughout this period is the Government’s top priority. People should stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives. 

This will be an especially worrying time for those with serious underlying health conditions and that is why we are urgently acting to ensure extremely vulnerable individuals are taking extra steps to shield themselves, and that the essential items they need are supplied to them. 

We will ensure that vulnerable and older people in our society are left in no doubt of their importance to us and our determination to protect them as best we can. More people will be required to be by themselves at home. While they are on their own, let’s guarantee that they are never alone.

Up to 1.5 million people in England currently live with conditions, or are taking medication or receiving treatment, which health experts have identified puts them at a much greater risk of developing serious complications if they get the virus, which may mean they need hospital treatment.   

This includes, for example, those who have received organ transplants, are living with severe respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis and severe chronic bronchitis (COPD) or specific cancers like of the blood or bone marrow. And some – though not all – of those receiving certain types of drug treatments including ones which suppress the immune system – leaving the body less able to fight off the virus.   

People identified as belonging to one or more of the at-risk groups will be contacted by their GP practice, specialist or both strongly advising them to stay at home for a period of at least 12 weeks.  

In the first instance they will receive a letter this week and, where mobile number is known, the NHS will also send frequent text messages shortly to those in this group, to reach the most at risk as quickly as possible with advice.  

These communications will set out to reassure them that their ongoing medical needs will be met by the NHS, and contain advice and guidance on how to manage their condition while self-isolating, including getting prescriptions delivered and accessing support for daily living.  

For the individuals most at risk of the illness, these actions will save lives. 

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:

We are working incredibly hard, day and night, to protect the nation’s public health whilst supporting our NHS so it can continue to look after patients in need of care.  

It is vital that we do everything we can to protect ourselves, our families and our friends from being impacted by the virus. But for those who are at the highest risk in our society, we have to do even more to ensure they’re kept safe.  

Whether it’s going shopping for a neighbour in need, or keeping inside if you know you’re at risk, we all have a part to play in protecting the welfare of those who are most vulnerable.

Dr Paul Johnstone, Director at Public Health England, said: 

The NHS are contacting the people who are most vulnerable to developing a very serious illness as a result of COVID-19 with specific advice to stay at home for at least 12 weeks.  

If you receive a letter it is vitally important that you act on it for your own protection, don’t attend any gatherings of friends or families and don’t go out for shopping, leisure or travel.  

Those of us who are less at risk can play our part in protecting other people by following the government’s advice on social distancing and volunteering to give extra support to vulnerable people who are staying at home.

The guidance for people at the highest risk is:   

• Strictly avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough;
• Do not leave your house for at least 12 weeks starting on Monday 22 March.
• Do not attend any gatherings. This includes gatherings of friends and families in private spaces e.g. family homes, weddings, parties and religious services.
• Do not go out for shopping, leisure or travel and, when arranging food or medication deliveries, these should be left at the door to minimise contact.
• Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media.
• Do use telephone or online services to contact your GP practice or other essential services as and when you need.

Further Information

• A link to the guidance can be found here.
• Full list of those falling into the extremely vulnerable group:
• Solid organ transplant recipients
• People with specific cancers
• People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer
• People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
• People having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
• People having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors.
• People who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs.
• People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD
• People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell disease)
• People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection
• Women who are pregnant and who also have significant heart disease, congenital or acquired

On 19 March, Argentina introduced a nationwide quarantine to last from midnight on Thursday 19 March to midnight on Tuesday 31 March. However, flights will continue to depart Argentina and British nationals who have already purchased tickets, and who are showing none of the symptoms of coronavirus, will be able to access the airport to catch their flights.

Once flights have been purchased, travellers should leave plenty of time to get to the airport. You should make sure you are able to show authorities:

• Proof of a booked flight (a boarding pass if possible);
• Your passport;
• A (printed, if possible) copy of the letter issued by the Ministry of Tourism confirming that foreign nationals are exempt from the quarantine if they are travelling to return to the UK. This letter can be found here: Ministry note (PDF, 74.1KB, 2 pages).
• A (printed, if possible) letter issued from the British Embassy confirming that you should be allowed to travel. This letter can be found here: Embassy Note (PDF, 689KB, 1 page).

The Prime Minister spoke to UN Secretary-General António Guterres this evening to discuss international efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

They agreed on the need for a global response to this global challenge, and for countries to coordinate in order to stop the spread of the virus and limit the economic impact on our citizens.

They underlined the importance of continued funding for the development of a vaccine and to support the resilience of healthcare systems in developing countries.

The Prime Minister said that the UK had already committed £241 million to the international response and would continue to look at what further support was necessary.

The Chancellor has today outlined an unprecedented package of measures to protect millions of people’s jobs and incomes as part of the national effort in response to coronavirus. This comes as Government instructs entertainment and hospitality premises, like bars and restaurants, to close from tonight to limit spread of coronavirus.

A new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be set up to help pay people’s wages. Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of their workforce who remain on payroll but are temporarily not working during the coronavirus outbreak. Any employer in the country- small or large, charitable or non-profit will be eligible for the scheme.

Universal Credit and tax credits will also be increased as part of an almost £7 billion welfare boost, as he outlined one of the most generous business and welfare packages by any government so far in response to Covid-19.

To ease cash flow pressures for UK VAT registered businesses, VAT bills from now until the end of June, will be deferred until the end of the tax year.

The Chancellor’s workers’ support package means:

• UK workers of any employer who is placed on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme can keep their job, with the government paying up to 80% of a worker’s wages, up to a total of £2,500 per worker each month. These will be backdated to 1st March and will be initially open for 3 months, to be extended if necessary.
• VAT payments due between now and the end of June will be deferred. No VAT registered business will have to make a VAT payment normally due with their VAT return to HMRC in that period. Income tax payments due in July 2020 under the Self Assessment system will be deferred to January 2021, benefitting up to 5.7m self-employed businesses.
• Additionally, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, launched at Budget, will now be interest free for twelve months.
• The standard rate in Universal credit and Tax Credits will be increased by £20 a week for one year from April 6th, meaning claimants will be up to £1040 better off.
• Nearly £1bn of additional support for renters, through increases in the generosity of housing benefit and Universal Credit. From April, Local Housing Allowance rates will pay for at least 30% of market rents in each area.

HMRC are working night and day to get the unprecedented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme up and running and we expect the first grants to be paid within weeks.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:

We continue to do everything possible to protect the public from coronavirus. We have been working round the clock so that we can today confirm an unprecedented package of support to protect people’s jobs and wages. And we’re strengthening our safety net at the same time.

I said we would help individuals, businesses and the most vulnerable through this outbreak and I meant it. We will do whatever it takes in the weeks and months ahead.

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said:

We will do whatever it takes to protect the most vulnerable and get them through these unprecedented times, and the changes we are making to Universal Credit will help millions of people in most need.

We are standing by those who rely on the welfare safety net as we work towards turning the tide on this disease and moving on together.

Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, said:

We have committed to doing whatever it takes to support businesses and households through these unprecedented times, and today shows just how far we are willing to go.

This intervention is unheard of in peacetime, but it is crucial we stand behind our businesses and those that rely on them for work and income.

All measures announced today across the business and welfare package are UK-wide.

In order to help delay the spread of Coronavirus, the Government has instructed entertainment and hospitality businesses including pubs, bars and restaurants to close from tonight.

This follows expert advice that more needs to be done in order tackle the spread of infection – following the call to action to isolate or socially distance. The measure, set to be reviewed on a monthly basis, will not affect supermarkets or retailers that supply fuel, medicines and other vital goods, which will continue to be open as normal for the public.   
The following businesses have been asked to close:

• Food and drink venues for consumption on-site, such as restaurants and cafes.
• Drinking establishments, including pubs, bars, nightclubs.
• Entertainment venues, including cinemas, theatres, concert halls, and bingo halls.
• Museums and galleries.
• Spas, wellness centres and massage parlours.
• Casinos and betting shops.
• All indoor leisure and sports facilities, including gyms.

This measure will not impact the relaxation of planning rules announced earlier this week which will allow pubs and restaurants to operate as hot food takeaways during the coronavirus outbreak.

The decision on closures will be reviewed on a monthly basis, and are being implemented across the whole of the UK in agreement with the devolved administrations. If needed, the government will enforce these measures by law.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: 

We will do whatever it takes to protect people across this country as we tackle the coronavirus outbreak. 

While people have responded well to calls for social distancing and self-isolation, we must go further if we are to be able to stop the spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable people in our society, and our NHS.

That is why we are now telling entertainment and hospitality premises to close temporarily, and people to only travel if absolutely essential, to help protect each other from the further spread of the virus.

We stand behind businesses and their employees and are offering an unprecedented range of support as we tackle this huge challenge together.

More information about the measures announced for businesses by the Chancellor can be found here.