Boris Johnson’s army of ‘Covid marshals’ who will enforce new rules on social gatherings was mocked on Twitter this evening.
From Monday it will be illegal to assemble in groups of seven or more anywhere in England, whether indoors or out, and the Prime Minister announced specific workers will be introduced to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres.
However, dozens of people took to social media to ridicule the idea, and described them as sounding like ‘the worst sort of busybodies’.
In a series of memes, users compared the marshals to popular bumbling TV characters such as Keith Lard from Phoenix Nights, The Simpsons’ Chief Wiggum and Gareth Keenan from The Office.
In a series of memes, social media users compared the Covid marshals to popular bumbling TV characters such as Keith Lard from Phoenix Nights
![Gareth Keenan, assistant to the regional manager in The Office, was also suggested as someone who the marshals could be modelled on](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974890-8715109-image-a-1_1599673266519.jpg)
Gareth Keenan, assistant to the regional manager in The Office, was also suggested as someone who the marshals could be modelled on
![Bumbling policeman Chief Wiggum from The Simpsons was another character referenced by mocking social media users](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974894-8715109-image-a-3_1599673277627.jpg)
Bumbling policeman Chief Wiggum from The Simpsons was another character referenced by mocking social media users
It comes as Mr Johnson warned the draconian new restrictions could be here for months – as chief medical officer Chris Whitty pointed the finger at ‘Generation Z’ for sparking a surge in cases.
The PM signalled that the ‘rule of six’ limit on how many people can socialise together will be in place for some time to come, after partying among the younger generation fuelled a sharp rise.
He said the spike in infections seen over the past week left him no choice but to tighten lockdown across England for the first time since March.
The limit – sparked by concern that partying young people are fuelling a flare-up – is a dramatic reduction on the maximum of 30 put in place on July 4.
Those breaking the rules can expect a £100 fine from police, which will then double on each repeat offence up to £3,200, with the Covid marshals also introduced in a bid to improve the enforcement capacity of local authorities.
Apart from a vaccine, Mr Johnson said the only other way out before Christmas was a ‘moonshot’ of introducing mass daily testing for everyone, but admitted that would require ‘everything to come together’.
In a direct plea to young people, Mr Johnson said that they should consider their behaviour ‘for the sake of your parents’ and your grandparents’ health’.
![Social media users suggested Special Officer Doofy from Scary Movie would be fit for the job](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974892-8715109-image-a-4_1599674158892.jpg)
Social media users suggested Special Officer Doofy from Scary Movie would be fit for the job
![Others referenced Boris Johnson's notorious rugby tackle in a charity football match](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974888-8715109-image-a-5_1599674164599.jpg)
Others referenced Boris Johnson’s notorious rugby tackle in a charity football match
![David Walliams' character from Come Fly With Me met many others' description](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974874-8715109-image-a-6_1599674174937.jpg)
David Walliams’ character from Come Fly With Me met many others’ description
![Specific workers will be introduced to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974876-8715109-image-a-7_1599674180321.jpg)
Specific workers will be introduced to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres
![Others were left confused by the mere idea of a Covid marshal as it was first revealed today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974878-8715109-image-a-8_1599674184726.jpg)
Others were left confused by the mere idea of a Covid marshal as it was first revealed today
![This user pictured the marshals as enthusiastically reporting groups of seven people](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974880-8715109-image-a-9_1599674190264.jpg)
This user pictured the marshals as enthusiastically reporting groups of seven people
![The PM signalled that the 'rule of six' limit on how many people can socialise together will be in place for some time to come, after partying among the younger generation fuelled a sharp rise](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974882-8715109-image-a-10_1599674198771.jpg)
The PM signalled that the ‘rule of six’ limit on how many people can socialise together will be in place for some time to come, after partying among the younger generation fuelled a sharp rise
![He said the spike in infections seen over the past week left him no choice but to tighten lockdown across England for the first time since March](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974884-8715109-image-a-11_1599674204512.jpg)
He said the spike in infections seen over the past week left him no choice but to tighten lockdown across England for the first time since March
![The limit - sparked by concern that partying young people are fuelling a flare-up - is a dramatic reduction on the maximum of 30 put in place on July 4](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974886-8715109-image-a-12_1599674212742.jpg)
The limit – sparked by concern that partying young people are fuelling a flare-up – is a dramatic reduction on the maximum of 30 put in place on July 4
![Those breaking the rules can expect a £100 fine from police, which will then double on each repeat offence up to £3,200](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974896-8715109-image-a-13_1599674222967.jpg)
Those breaking the rules can expect a £100 fine from police, which will then double on each repeat offence up to £3,200
![Covid marshals have also been introduced in a bid to improve the enforcement capacity of local authorities](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974900-8715109-image-a-14_1599674231035.jpg)
Covid marshals have also been introduced in a bid to improve the enforcement capacity of local authorities
![Apart from a vaccine, Mr Johnson said the only other way out before Christmas was a 'moonshot' of introducing mass daily testing for everyone, but admitted that would require 'everything to come together'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974906-8715109-image-a-16_1599674248253.jpg)
Apart from a vaccine, Mr Johnson said the only other way out before Christmas was a ‘moonshot’ of introducing mass daily testing for everyone, but admitted that would require ‘everything to come together’
![In a direct plea to young people, Mr Johnson said that they should consider their behaviour 'for the sake of your parents' and your grandparents' health'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974908-8715109-image-a-17_1599674255796.jpg)
In a direct plea to young people, Mr Johnson said that they should consider their behaviour ‘for the sake of your parents’ and your grandparents’ health’
![Prof Whitty said the numbers of coronavirus case have been increasing 'much more rapidly' over the past few days. While the numbers among older people and children remained 'flat', in other age groups there were 'rapid upticks'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974910-8715109-image-a-18_1599674261451.jpg)
Prof Whitty said the numbers of coronavirus case have been increasing ‘much more rapidly’ over the past few days. While the numbers among older people and children remained ‘flat’, in other age groups there were ‘rapid upticks’
![He said among 17 to 18 year-olds and 19 to 21 year-olds the numbers had gone up 'really quite steeply' since mid August](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974912-8715109-image-a-19_1599674271184.jpg)
He said among 17 to 18 year-olds and 19 to 21 year-olds the numbers had gone up ‘really quite steeply’ since mid August
![A particularly smug Ned Flanders from The Simpsons matched this user's idea of a Covid marshal](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974918-8715109-image-a-20_1599674277901.jpg)
A particularly smug Ned Flanders from The Simpsons matched this user’s idea of a Covid marshal
![The Office's Gareth Keenan was a popular reference point for those mocking the idea](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974916-8715109-image-a-21_1599674289314.jpg)
The Office’s Gareth Keenan was a popular reference point for those mocking the idea
![Prof Whitty said that data suggested that without action Britain would be on a path 'extremely similar' to France where the numbers have continued to rise - cautioning that the situation was likely to be perilous all the way through to Spring](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974920-8715109-image-a-22_1599674298880.jpg)
Prof Whitty said that data suggested that without action Britain would be on a path ‘extremely similar’ to France where the numbers have continued to rise – cautioning that the situation was likely to be perilous all the way through to Spring
![Government sources have voiced gloom about a 'difficult six months' to come. One official cautioned that it was not a scenario of 'a couple of weeks and we're back to where we were', saying the R number was 'clearly above one'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974922-8715109-image-a-23_1599674322413.jpg)
Government sources have voiced gloom about a ‘difficult six months’ to come. One official cautioned that it was not a scenario of ‘a couple of weeks and we’re back to where we were’, saying the R number was ‘clearly above one’
![Mr Johnson said he was 'sorry' that larger households would not be able to meet up, as they would be above the six-person threshold](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974924-8715109-image-a-24_1599674328788.jpg)
Mr Johnson said he was ‘sorry’ that larger households would not be able to meet up, as they would be above the six-person threshold
![A displeased Sir Keir Starmer was also used in reaction to the Prime Minister's announcement](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/09/09/18/32974914-8715109-image-a-25_1599674337054.jpg)
A displeased Sir Keir Starmer was also used in reaction to the Prime Minister’s announcement
Prof Whitty said the numbers of coronavirus case have been increasing ‘much more rapidly’ over the past few days. While the numbers among older people and children remained ‘flat’, in other age groups there were ‘rapid upticks’.
He said among 17 to 18 year-olds and 19 to 21 year-olds the numbers had gone up ‘really quite steeply’ since mid August.
He said that data suggested that without action Britain would be on a path ‘extremely similar’ to France where the numbers have continued to rise – cautioning that the situation was likely to be perilous all the way through to Spring.
Government sources have voiced gloom about a ‘difficult six months’ to come. One official cautioned that it was not a scenario of ‘a couple of weeks and we’re back to where we were’, saying the R number was ‘clearly above one’.
Mr Johnson said he was ‘sorry’ that larger households would not be able to meet up, as they would be above the six-person threshold.
‘But as your PM I must do what it takes to stop the spread of the virus,’ he added.