Tuesday evening news briefing: Coronavirus 'battle plan' unveiled

Chris Price
·6 min read

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Army on standby as PM unveils coronavirus battle plan

The Army is on standby and police would cease investigating all but the most serious crimes when coronavirus peaks, the Government's "battle plan" for fighting the disease has revealed. The 28-page document also warns workplaces could have a fifth of their staff off sick at any one time, meaning essential public services such as the NHS and police would have to focus on core services. You can watch the Prime Minister launch the blueprint with a press conference alongside the Government's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance. Prof Whitty warned as many as one per cent of people who contract coronavirus could die but Boris Johnson insisted the "overwhelming majority" of people would only experience a "mild" form of the disease from which they will "speedily recover". He warned of a "national challenge", as the number of UK cases increased by 12 to 51.

Meanwhile, the Bank of England could provide a temporary cash injection to Britain's small businesses to help shield them from the impact of coronavirus. Outgoing governor Mark Carney told the Treasury select committee that liquidity support is part of a range of measures under consideration as the UK braces for a potential "supply shock" caused by factory closures in China. Over in the US, the Federal Reserve has made a shock emergency cut to interest rates, in a bid to protect the country's continued economic expansion. Our business liveblog has the latest on how markets are reacting. And it turns out British DIY investors kept their cool during last week's market slump.

Battle plan key points: Should we cancel holiday plans?

Much of the joint press conference was dedicated to questions about how people should protect themselves from the virus, and who is susceptible. The key advice is to wash your hands regularly but questions were raised about the safety of the elderly and children. While Professor Whitty said there will be "very specific advice" about care homes - which the Government does not want to release earlier than is deemed necessary - there was positive advice about children. Questions also focused on whether we should cancel future holidays. Greg Dickinson has created a five-point travel advice checklist. And here are nine myths, scams and conspiracy theories about coronavirus. PS - There was one moment of light relief during the battle plan press conference, when Mr Johnson indicated he would "almost certainly" be taking paternity leave when his new baby arrives. Here is what he said.

Queen opts to wear gloves amid coronavirus outbreak

The Queen wore long white gloves as she carried out an investiture at Buckingham Palace, unlike in previous ceremonies. The head of state usually hands out the honours without gloves, as she carries out the fiddly task of fastening the awards to a hook on the recipients' lapels. The palace declined to confirm whether the 93-year-old monarch was taking the precaution because of the coronavirus outbreak. You can see her wearing the gloves here. But Boris Johnson told reporters at today's press briefing he continues to shake hands with the people he meets.

News digest

Video: Greek coastguard fires shots near refugee boat

Greek coastguard officers fired shots towards a boat full of refugees crossing the Aegean as tensions with Turkey soared over the migration crisis. Video shows a Greek coast guard officer, dressed in black, fire two shots from an automatic rifle into the water, close to an inflatable dinghy packed with asylum seekers. Click here to watch the footage, reportedly taken at sea off the Turkish resort town of Bodrum.

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