Daily Mail, Wednesday, March 4, 2020^ Page Taking no chances: Emergency services in hazmat suits in Harrow, north-west London yesterday
Six million may
miss work
Employers encour-
aged to allow staff to
work from home
where possible. The
battle plan warns
that staff sickness will have a
major impact on business and
public services. At the peak of an
epidemic as many as one in five
could be off sick at any one time- equal to more than six million
people. The plan warns: ‘Every-
one will face increased pressures
at work, as well as their own per-
sonal illness or caring
responsibilities.’
Clampdown on
mass gatherings
If the virus takes off
then some mass gath-
erings could be called
off to slow the spread.
But officials pointed
out yesterday that the spread of
the virus could be greater if fans
banned from a football match
choose to watch it in the pub. But
older people could be advised to
stay away, potentially putting
events like the VE Day commem-
orations in jeopardy from May
8-10.Social contact cut
to slow spread
Strategies to slow
the spread of the virus
include so-called ‘pop-
ulation distancing’.
Officials yesterday said
this could include asking people
to ‘avoid contact outside work
and school’. Sources acknowledge
there is little they can do to pre-
vent people meeting friends and
visiting pubs, restaurants and
cinemas, but say that cutting
social contact by 75 per cent could
have a major impact on the spread
of the disease.Vetting for care
home visitors
A dedicated plan for
care homes will be pub-
lished later this month.
But, with elderly peo-
ple significantly more
vulnerable to the virus, sources
said efforts would be made to
limit contact with potential carri-
ers. Visits could be limited and
family members could be asked
to show they are virus-free before
visiting. At the height of the epi-
demic care homes could be tem-
p o r a r i l y c l o s e d t o v i s i t o r s ,
although ministers are anxious
that residents do not feel cut off
from their loved ones.Police to halt
paperwork
The report suggests
that police could be
told to shelve all but
the most serious case-
work in order to focus
on ‘critical functions’. The docu-
ment states that if the police suf-
fer a ‘significant loss of officers’ to
sickness they would be expected
to ‘concentrate on responding to
serious crimes and maintaining
public order.’Army guards at
high-risk sites
The Army could be
put on standby to sub-
stitute for the police on
guarding duties at highprofile sites, such as nuclear
power stations and Parliament.
This would free up police officers
for frontline roles. The Prime Min-
ister said there were ‘long-estab-
lished plans’ for the Army to
‘backfill’ in emergencies. But gov-
ernment sources played down
suggestions that the military
would play a wider role.Courts deploy
video-links
Ministers are looking
at changing the law to
allow suspects being
h e l d o n r e m a n d t o
give evidence via video
link from their prison. The sys-
tem is already used for some seri-
ous terrorist offences and could
be extended to other cases toreduce the need to transfer peo-
ple to and from court every day.Schools expected
to stay open
The battle plan leaves
open the possibility of
ordering school clo -
sures for up to three
months in order to slow
the spread of the virus. But min-
isters are acutely aware of the
potential impact on children’s
education, the exam season and
parents’ ability to work if schools
are shut so it will only happen as
a last resort. Instead, ministers
will change the law to permit
larger class sizes and to allow
children to temporarily attend a
different school if theirs is closed.Healthy teachers could also be
redeployed to other schools that
are suffering shortages.Hospital ops to
be delayed
The NHS is likely to
face massive strain if the
virus takes off. The bat-
tle plan says that routine
services, including elec-
tive operations such as hip and knee
operations, could be ‘reduced tem-
porarily’ to ease the burden. Doc-
tors will liaise with council social
services teams to enable ‘early’ dis-
charge from hospital’ to free up
beds. Boris Johnson yesterday
urged people to be ‘self-restraining
where possible’ when considering
accessing NHS services.Former medics
called up
Ministers will change
the law this month to
a l l o w d o c t o r s a n d
nurses who have left the
NHS or retired to return
temporarily to plug gaps left by
sickness among healthcare work-
ers. The NHS is also looking to fast-
track recruitment of an army of
volunteers to help maintain serv-
ices such as feeding patients and
delivering medicines.Border staff on
watch for virus
There are no plans to
close ports and air-
ports. But the Govern-
ment will change the
law to give border staff
the power to require people arriv-
ing in the UK showing symptoms
of the coronavirus to take a test.
Powers have already been taken
to require people deemed at risk
of the virus to be isolated from
the rest of the community.Support for firms
and sick workers
The battle plan says
the Government is
looking at financial
support for businesses
facing ‘short-term cash
flow problems’. Chancellor Rishi
Sunak is expected to unveil
detailed measures in next week’s
budget. Ministers are also looking
at the possibility of providing sup-
port to those workers who do not
qualify for sick pay to ensure they
take time off work if they catch
the virus.Town halls put
on death watch
The report states
that there ‘could well
b e a n i n c r e a s e i n
deaths’ and says talks
w i t h c o u n c i l s a r e
underway to ensure that funeral
services are not overwhelmed.
Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty
said scientists were ‘reasonably
confident’ that only one in a hun-
dred people who contract the
virus will die. In a worst case sce-
nario this could translate into
about 500,000 extra deaths over a
period of months, although offi-
cials are hopeful the final number
will be ‘much lower’. The elderly
are more susceptible, with those
aged over 80 thought to be partic-
ularly at risk.1 in 5 staff may
be struck down
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
From VE Day to
knee ops: How
you could be hit
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
Clampdown mass gatherings6m work from homeLess social contactVeting for care home visitorsPolice to halt paper workArmy guards high risk sitesSchools expected to stay openCourts deploy video linksDelays for hospital operationsEx medics called uponBorder staff on virus watchSupport for firms and sick workersTown hall put on death watchSchoolVirus ICONS
By Jason Groves
Political Editor