Good evening
the coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades,
and this country is not alone
all over the world, we're seeing the devastating impact of this invisible killer
and so, tonight, I want to update you on the latest steps
we're taking to fight the disease and what you can do to help
and I want to begin by reminding you why the UK has been taking the approach that we have
without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus,
there will come a moment where no health service in the world could possibly cope,
because there won't be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses
as we've seen elsewhere, in other countries that also have fantastic healthcare system,
that is the moment of real danger
to put it simply, if too many people become seriously unwell at one time,
the NHS will be unable to handle it, meaning more people are likely to die,
not just from coronavirus but from other illnesses as well
so it's vital to slow the spread of the disease
because that is the way we reduce the number of people needing hospital treatment at any one time
so we can protect the NHS's ability to cope and save more lives
that's why we've been asking people to stay at home during this pandemic
though huge numbers are complying and I thank you all
the time has now come for us all to do more
from this evening, I must give the British people a very simple instruction
you must stay at home
because the critical thing we must do to stop the disease spreading between households
that's why people will only be allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes
shopping for basic necessities as infrequently as possible
one form of exercise a day,
for example, a run, walk, or cycle alone or with members of your household
any medical need to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
and traveling to and from work
but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home
that's all
these are the only reasons you should leave your home
you should not be meeting friends
if your friends ask you to meet, you should say no
you should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home
you should not be going shopping except for essentials like food and medicine
and you should do this as little as you can
and use food delivery services where you can
if you don't follow the rules, the police will have the powers to enforce them
including through fines and disbursing gatherings
to ensure compliance with the government's instruction to stay at home,
we will immediately close all shops selling non-essential goods,
including clothing and electronics stores and other premises
including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms and places of worship
we'll stop all gatherings of more than two people in public excluding people you live with
and we'll stop all social events including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies
but excluding funerals
parks will remain open for exercise but gatherings will be dispersed
no prime minister wants to enact measures like this
I know the damage that this disruption is doing and will do to people's lives, to their business
and to their jobs
that's why we've produced a huge and unprecedented program of support,
both for workers and for business
I can assure you that we will keep these restrictions under constant review
we will look again in three weeks and relax them if the evidence shows we are able to
but at present, there are just no easy options
the way ahead is hard and it is still true that many lives will sadly be lost
and yet it is also true that there is a clear way through
day by day we are strengthening our amazing NHS with 7500 former clinicians
now coming back to the service
with the time you buy, by simply staying at home, we are increasing our stocks of equipment
we are accelerating our search for treatments
we're pioneering work on a vaccine and we are buying millions of testing kits
that will enable us to turn the tide on this invisible killer
I want to thank everyone who is working flat out to beat the virus
everyone from the supermarket staff to the transport workers, to the carers,
to the nurses and doctors on the front line
but in this fight, we can be in no doubt that each and every one of us is directly enlisted
each and every one of us is now obliged to join together to halt the spread of this disease
to protect our NHS and to save many, many thousands of lives
and I know that as they had in the past so many times,
the people of this country will rise to that challenge
and we will come through it stronger than ever
we will beat the coronavirus, and we will beat it together
therefore, I urge you at this moment of national emergency to stay at home, protect our NHS,
and save lives
thank you