Britain’s coronavirus death toll surged by 181 yesterday as Government advisers warned that even stricter social distancing measures could be on the way. It is by far the biggest daily increase and means the disease has claimed 759 lives, including young and previously healthy people.
Government advisers said stricter social distancing policies may have to be rolled out next month if the grim figures continued to rise. The measures would be introduced in three weeks as the outbreak reached its peak to further reduce ‘person-to-person interaction’.
This week France announced that individuals could only exercise alone – unless with children – for a maximum of an hour and within 1,000 yards of their homes. Spain and Italy have banned exercise altogether, and there are concerns that Britons are deliberately misinterpreting the guidance by travelling to beauty spots miles from their homes.
Police use a megaphone in Greenwich Park to instruct members of the public who aren’t using the park to exercise to move on as part of measures put in place to stop the spread of the virus
The Lake District closed on Friday for what is thought to be the first time in its history. It comes as people continued to flout social distancing guidelines issued at the start of the week
Yesterday’s figures show that London hospitals recorded the highest number of new deaths at 54, followed by West Midlands hospitals with 19. But these numbers do not include patients who die at home or in care homes, meaning the true number may be higher.
A senior government adviser suggested the figures would continue to rise for at least the next three weeks, meaning the peak is likely to hit at Easter. The adviser said hospitals ‘should be OK’, but admitted ‘we can’t guarantee it’ and stressed some intensive care units may struggle to cope.
And should the number of deaths rise significantly, ‘greater enforcement’ of social distancing policies would have to be introduced. This would include ‘anything that can be done to push it (down) further’ and prevent people catching the disease.
The adviser added: ‘I expect death numbers to increase over two, three or four weeks, and then to gradually decrease.’ Officials were generally ‘very happy’ with the levels of compliance with social distancing guidance, despite some Britons travelling some distance to beauty spots in the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales to exercise.
The advice says the public should leave their house only to shop for groceries, provide or receive medical care, travel to work or exercise, which is limited to once a day. The total number of confirmed cases in the UK now stands at 14,543, up from 11,658. But this is a huge underestimate of the true figure as most patients with the virus are not being tested.
Professor Jim Naismith, an expert in structural biology at Oxford University, said: ‘Although Covid-19 is a mild disease for over 80 per cent of us, today’s deaths will have come as a terrible blow to families. The increase in the deaths are following the exponential pattern predicted.
This means we are likely to continue to see further increases in the numbers of daily deaths until social distancing measures have their effect. ‘The deaths tomorrow and in the days ahead will be of people who were infected before the social distancing measures were implemented.
I understand the temptation to live on each day’s numbers, but what matters is what is ahead of us and what we can do to save lives.’ Dr Mike Tildesley, of the University of Warwick, added: ‘We may expect to see the number of daily confirmed cases continue to climb, before starting to decline once the current social distancing measures start to have an effect.’
North Wales Police had to stop English motorists travelling to Wales for a ‘holiday’ on Friday. The force set up a coronavirus checkpoint to make sure drivers were adhering to the Stay Home message that was issued on Monday
A woman wears a protective mask as she walks her dog through Clapham Common on Friday, visitors can be seen behind her despite the country being told to stay indoors on Monday
Dog walkers and other visitors at Whitley Bay beach in North Tyneside on Friday afternoon
Doctors and nurses have begged people to stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic, pleading with people to stay at home and save lives.
But sun-seekers were seemingly oblivious today as they soaked up the rays in Southsea, Bournemouth and Somerset.
The Prime Minister has stressed that unless you are a key worker or helping someone vulnerable, the only reasons to go outside are to go shopping for essentials, exercise once a day or fulfil any medical needs.
This comes as police up and down the country exercise their new powers to enforce the coronavirus lockdown – stopping people having picnics and dog walkers in the Peak District by chasing them with drones.
But forces today are facing accusations of being overzealous as they use the sweeping new powers to crack down on people flouting the rules, using road blocks, drones and helicopters to enforce it.
Officers have already issued fines less than 24 hours after new laws were brought into force, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has said.
Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a £60 fine initially – reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days – and another for £120 for a second offence. But fines could reach £1,000-plus for repeat offenders.
Somerset: Friends enjoyed a picnic in the spring sunshine in Bath today, oblivious to the warnings
Portsmouth: Sunbathers at the Hot Walls in Old Portsmouth, Hampshire, ignoring government advice to stay at home
People stripped down and lay on the sand in a bid to get a tan along the seaside in Bournemouth this afternoon
London: A police officer speaks to a couple sat at a bench in the sunshine in Greenwich Park
Portsmouth: People were lined up along the Hot Walls – less than 24 hours after the nation came together to thank the NHS for battling the pandemic on the frontline
People got on their bikes to exercise in Greenwich Park in south east London today. Britons are only able to leave their homes for one form of exercise per day under strict guidelines
Gloucestershire: Sunbathers also took to Montpellier Gardens in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, despite warnings to stay indoors
Manchester: Walkers, cyclists and joggers all congregated at Heaton Park in north Manchester during the coronavirus lockdown
North Tyneside: Walkers descended upon Whitley Bay beach in North Tyneside this afternoon with their dogs
Families flocked to Clapham Common in London to get outside and soak up the sun, despite warnings stating they should be staying indoors
People in Clapham Common even took a barbecue to the park and lay on the grass in the sun amid the coronavirus lockdown
The government has said people are allowed outside once per day for exercise. Groups of more than two are not permitted
Members of the army were seen in St James’ Park London today as Boris Johnson advised the public to stay at home
Two people were seen cycling through St James’ Park enjoying the bright, sunny weather after the coronavirus lockdown
Elsewhere, the Met Police today fined a bakery boss £80 for criminal damage after she put temporary lines outside her shop to keep her customers safe from coronavirus.
The extraordinary incident took place outside the Grodzinski bakery in Edgware, north-west London, this morning, when police spotted the owner using a can of non-permanent spray chalk to help maintain social distancing of two metres.
The officer told the flabbergasted woman that she had graffitied the pavement and if police failed to punish crimes like these there would be ‘anarchy’, adding: ‘I can’t help the law. We’re also fining people for congregating – is that wrong too?’.
The woman, who gives her name as Gemma, confronts the officer and says: ‘This is not graffiti, it’s chalk, it washes off. So you would rather all my customers don’t stand two metres apart? I’m doing it for people’s safety – to stop the spread of coronavirus’, to which the officer replies: ‘It doesn’t matter. It’s criminal damage. It’s the law’.
The officer then tells her she needs to wash it off or she ‘will be committing another offence’, and she says to protect her customers she will happily ‘get another ticket, and another ticket and another ticket. I don’t care’.
A witness who filmed the incident told the policeman: ‘People are dying and this is what you care about, this is ridiculous, this is horrendous’ and the officer replies: ‘The law doesn’t stop unfortunately. It’s still a criminal offence. The law is the law and it doesn’t change because of what is happening. There would be anarchy in the world’. And a council is facing a furious backlash today after targeting members of the public with drones, as lawyers warned that police are ‘unlawfully’ trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs.
Officers have already issued fines to people breaching coronavirus lockdown rules, less than 24 hours after new laws were brought into force, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has said.
Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a £60 fine initially – reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days – and another for £120 for a second offence. But fines could reach £1,000-plus for repeat offenders.
But guidelines issued by the Cabinet Office do not prohibit driving somewhere for exercise or dog walking.
Derbyshire Police is now embroiled in a heated row after tweeting ‘menacing’ drone footage chasing and ‘shaming’ ramblers and dog walkers in the Peak District.
Neath Port Talbot council has also begun using drones equipped with speakers to shout at groups of people outside – though some targeted claim they had been ‘waiting hours for prescriptions before they were ordered to go home.’
But members of the public have hit back at the extraordinary move, claiming they are being targeted while queuing outside for hours waiting for groceries and medication.
Critics say the unprecedented powers handed to officers by ministers will see the country ‘sliding into dystopia.’
As the row intensified today, Leading QC Matthew Ryder said there was an ‘overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to ’emergency travel only’ is unlawful.’
Former MPs also claim police are ‘showing an astounding lack of judgement’ and needed to exercise ‘common sense and respect’ and use their powers elsewhere.
But chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Martin Hewitt, doubled down on the measures, telling the BBC: ‘This is a national emergency, not a national holiday.’
Bristol: Police are stopping motorists in Bristol this morning as they exercise their powers to enforce the lockdown
North Yorkshire: Sgt Paul Cording from North Yorkshire Police conducts a road check to convey the government’s ‘stay-at-home’ message, in Harrogate
Peak District: Derbyshire Police issue a warning to two walkers near Mam Tor in the Peak District this morning
The drones are operating in high streets in Wales in a bid to disperse people
Derbyshire Police sent up their drone and filmed people on ‘not essential’ trips to the Peak District including people posing for an ‘Instagram snap’
As the row intensified today, Leading QC Matthew Ryder said there was an ‘overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to ’emergency travel only’ is unlawful’
In another frantic day of developments in the battle against coronavirus:
- Michael Gove revealed a new alliance between businesses, research institutes and universities will boost testing capacity so NHS workers will know if they have coronavirus with testing starting next week;
- NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said there are now 33,000 beds available nationwide for coronavirus patients
- He also revealed two new Nightingale hospitals will be set up in Birmingham and Manchester in addition to the one in London;
- A council is facing a furious backlash after targeting members of the public with drones, as lawyers warned that police are ‘unlawfully’ trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs;
- There are demands for the government to go further to help millions of self-employed after Mr Sunak admitted a bailout for income support will not be up and running until June;
- Buckingham Palace has said the Queen remains in ‘good health’ and has not seen the PM since March 11;
- UK supermarkets said they will use a government database of 1.5 million vulnerable shoppers to help prioritise delivery slots.
Among those responding to Derbyshire Police’s drone footage was ex-Lord Chancellor, David Gauke.
The former Work and Pensions Secretary and Justice Secretary said: ‘This is badly misjudged. People should maintain social distancing, which is what these people are doing. We need to maintain public support for fundamental behaviour change which requires the authorities to focus on genuinely bad behaviour.’
Derbyshire Police took the extraordinary step of using one of its drones to film dog walkers, ramblers and a group posing for Instagram pictures on a cliff top at sunset last night – highlighting their movements and accusing them of making an ‘unessential’ trip.
Using the unmanned aircraft they also gathered number plates from parked cars and traced their owners to their homes in Sheffield saying: ‘Walking your dog in the Peak District: Not essential.’
Appearing on BBC Breakfast yeasterday, Superintendent Steve Pont from Derbyshire Police hit back at allegations he was ‘shaming’ dog walkers, claiming people were ‘looking for excuses and loopholes as to why they don’t need to stay at home when everyone else does.’
Supt Pont said his force was, ‘here to apply the law the government makes.’
A police officer in a car pulls up next to a man resting on the grass in Greenwich Park, London, after the government introduced a lockdown
Bristol: Officers in the road are conducting random checks in Bristol in a bid to crack down on people leaving their homes
Police begin to exercise new powers fining members of the public from walking in places where it is deemed not essential, as seen in the Peak District today
Derbyshire Police are leaving warnings on cars across the Peak District today as they step up their powers
Officers in Bristol are questioning drivers on the streets today as they try to clamp down on people going outside
Boris Johnson has stressed that unless you are a key worker or helping someone vulnerable, the only reasons to go outside are to go shopping for essentials, exercise once a day or fulfil any medical needs.
Those flouting the rules face fines of up to £960, and police can now arrest anyone found outside without good reason.
In addition, the Director of Public Prosecutions warned that anyone deliberately coughing at 999 workers to spread coronavirus faces up to two years in jail.
But barrister Matthew Ryder argued: ‘Seems to be overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to ’emergency travel only’ is unlawful.
‘They have no power to stop someone driving to an isolated scenic spot to exercise away from others (nor is there any logical reason why there should be).
‘If you live in a densely packed city like London, the local park now feels like a crowded gym much of the day: people exercising, walking dogs, letting kids run about.
‘Stopping people going out to isolated spots for exercise in order to ease that crowding is counterproductive.’
Former West Midlands MEP Roger Helmer tweeted: ‘For heaven’s sake, Derbyshire police, get a sense of proportion. These people were taking exercise (permitted) and maintaining social separation (mandated). There are much more important matters which you should be pursuing.’
Supt Pont told the BBC: ‘We’ve received the legislation which is easy for people to understand. If people continue to flout this then we will resort to giving out fines.
‘We wanted to reinforce the message of, ‘stay home’ because a number of people aren’t staying home; they’re finding excuses and loopholes to go out.
‘We wanted to illustrate that this is the wrong thing to do – last weekend the Peak District was overflowing with tourists.’
But presenter Charlie Stayt argued there was little chance of infecting other people if people travel in their own car to a remote location and walk away from other people, exercising their rights in a safe manner.
He added: ‘It’s not really up to you to stop them.’
Supt Pont added: ‘If people drive in their cars and go walking along the clifftops, there’s a potential for accidents. Mountain rescue have said they don’t want people doing it.
‘If the NHS are responding to a road traffic collisions, that is taking up their time.
Police have been stopping motorists as they travel on Park Street, Bristol, this morning
Police Scotland were using their own helicopter to catch people and issue fines in Pollok Park, Glasgow today
‘The point is, government legislation says you should make your time away from home as short as possible.
‘It is not as short as possible if you feel like going for a drive in the Peak District.’
He added: ‘We are hoping to appeal to the better judgement of these people.
‘The NHS are heroes – they are asking, begging us, to stay at home. And 93-4 per cent of the public are doing that but some people are trying to find excuses not to.’
The apparent need for the new police powers to break up gatherings has been illustrated by reports of officers being called to friends having barbecues, house parties and games of football.
Neath Port Talbot council and South Wales Police are also using drones equipped with speakers to disperse groups of people congregating outside.
The council has teamed up with South Wales Police to identify popular hotspots.
The council says it hopes the use of drones, ‘will help to remind people not following the rules about what their responsibilities are.’
A spokesman from Neath Port Talbot council said: ‘Drones are now being used to distribute public information messages across Neath Port Talbot during the coronavirus outbreak.
‘We have teamed up with South Wales Police to survey hotspots where people are not following government measures on social distancing.’
The council added: ‘The drones are equipped with speakers that will transmit messages directly to the public.
‘We are reminding residents to stay at home except for (reasons outlined by the Government).’
But while some praised the measures, others claimed they were unnecessary.
Writing on Facebook, Carly Murray said: ‘This upset a lot of people today at Neath boots.
‘People were waiting for prescriptions and people were very orderly and staying two metres apart. This drone turned up and changed the mood.
‘As people were perplexed where it’s had come from and what they could do as they were waiting for Boots.
‘People were annoyed to be told to go home when they were already stressed and fed up waiting hours for medications.’
The head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Max Hill QC, warned that offenders coughing and spitting at key workers would be charged with common assault, punishable by up to two years in prison.
His intervention came after Darren Rafferty, 45, from Dagenham, east London, admitted three counts of assaulting an emergency worker after claiming to have coronavirus and deliberately coughing at officers arresting him for grievous bodily harm.
David Mott, 40, from Blackburn, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison after threatening to spit at officers when they asked him why he was outdoors with two others on Monday night.
In response to new police powers being brought into force to make sure coronavirus lockdown restrictions are followed, Clare Collier, advocacy director at Liberty, said: ‘We’re extremely concerned by the extent of these coercive powers.
‘This is a pandemic and so it should be treated as a public health issue. Instead, the Government is treating it as a criminal justice issue, putting resources into detaining and criminalising.
‘What’s concerning is what this heavy-handed approach will do to the public’s relationship with the police in the long-term.
‘While some people will feel reassured by a firmer police response to the pandemic, others will feel fear, especially groups who are already over-policed.
‘We’ve seen an amazing response from communities to the pandemic, with neighourhoods rallying together, but trust and goodwill may break down in the face of authoritarianism and harsh policing.’
Police forces this week have reported a surge of mindless violence by bored yobs.
In Merseyside, a hospital worker was attacked with a bike saddle by a group of teenagers as he went to buy groceries.
The radiographer at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral needed seven stitches after he was targeted by four youths outside an Asda supermarket in Birkenhead.
Elsewhere in Merseyside, a group of children became involved in a standoff with police after climbing onto a leisure centre roof for an hour and refusing to come down.
Derbyshire Police revealed they were investigating a vicious assault on a farmer who was punched 15 times and kicked in the ribs when he asked a Peak District walker to ‘go home’.
The victim, from Edale, was ‘left shaken and bruised’ after he was assaulted while disinfecting his gates on Sunday due to hundreds of people walking past.
New powers were announced on Thursday to allow police to enforce lockdown rules brought in to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Home Office said people who continue to flout tougher restrictions on movement will be breaking the law and could be arrested by police.
Those who ignore the rules could be hit with a £60 fine initially and another for £120 for a second offence, with the penalty doubling for additional breaches.
Officers in England were given the power to enforce rules on staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel as of 1pm on Thursday.
They can order members of the public to go home, leave an area, and have the power to disperse a group, using ‘reasonable force, if necessary’.
Police can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the powers were designed to ‘protect the public and keep people safe’.
According to the guidance, the cost of initial fixed penalty notices will be cut to £30 if paid within 14 days and those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines.
Refusing to provide a name and address to avoid being given a fine is an arrestable offence.
Known as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, similar rules will be in place across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
The regulations state they are made ‘in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health’ posed by Covid-19 and the Government considers the ‘restrictions and requirements imposed by these regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve’.
Poll finds 11% of Britons are still going to crowded public spaces and 10% are visiting friends
A survey for ITV’s Peston programme found millions of people are not complying with the government’s lockdown measures
A shock poll conducted for ITV’s Peston this week found 7 per cent of Britons are still going out to see friends, 8 per cent are doing ‘non-essential shopping’ and 5 percent have not started washing their hands more.
The survey also showed 6 per cent are continuing to hug others and shake hands, despite warnings this will spread the deadly virus which has already claimed 463 lives in Britain with 9,500 people now having tested positive.
Some 11 per cent of people are still going to public places while 33 per cent are stockpiling and ignoring pleas from supermarkets to save goods for the elderly, vulnerable and NHS workers.
A further 8 per cent (5.8 million) are continuing to shop for goods when not absolutely necessary and 7 per cent are meeting people outside of the immediate family they are living with, according to the JL Partners survey.
It also revealed that some 5 per cent of people – or 2.6million of the population – are still not washing their hands more than usual, or for longer than usual.
Some 34 per cent of people still going shopping and seeing friends claim they are doing it ‘safely’, while 14 per cent claim the risk of coronavirus is being ‘exaggerated’ and 7 per cent refuse to abandon their daily habits because the Government ‘hasn’t ruled it out’.
Those refusing to comply by the Government advice are generally young males while 15 per cent steadfastly say ‘we can’t let the virus defeat us’.