The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the NHS could be "overwhelmed" if the Britons do not act to slow the "accelerating" spread of coronavirus, so he advised people not to visit loved ones on this Mother's Day. The British prime minister called on people to join the national effort and follow social distancing advice.
It comes as the NHS plans to write to more than one million people with extreme risk. People will receive letters or text messages advising the residents not to go out for 12 weeks to protect themselves, said UK government. People who have received organ transplants are living with severe respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis or specific cancers- blood or bone marrow cancer- will also receive the advisory note from NHS.
UK combating Coronavirus
It should be noted that on Saturday, March 21, Johnson said,
"The numbers are very stark, and they are accelerating. The Italians have a superb health care system. And yet their doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand.
"The Italian death toll is already in the thousands and climbing. Unless we act together, unless we make the heroic and collective national effort to slow the spread - then it is all too likely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed."
In addition, he also said that the UK government was imposing measures "never seen before either in peace or war" which are very essential to ensure the safety of Britons.
Meanwhile, the UK government said that the members of the Armed Forces will help ensure essential items like groceries can be delivered to people who are at-risk. Dr Paul Johnstone, from Public Health England, said NHS are contacting the people who are most vulnerable at this moment to develop a very serious illness as a result of Novel Coronavirus 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," Dr Johnstone added.
The Mother's Day message
While the families prepare to celebrate Mother's Day in the UK on Sunday, Johnson said the best single present for mothers would be to stay away, the government ordered to close restaurants, cafes and pubs, as well as some other public spaces like gyms and cinemas. He mentioned that people can video call or use Skype to wish their mothers and avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity.
He also explained that such measures should be taken seriously because "if your mother is elderly or vulnerable, then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from Coronavirus or Covid-19. We cannot disguise or sugar-coat the threat."
When in the Saturday press conference, Johnson was asked whether he will be visiting his 77-year-old mother on Sunday, he replied that he would "certainly be sending her my very best wishes and hope to get to see her". Later, a report claimed that the PM would make a Skype interaction with his mother on the Mother's Day.
