Coronavirus UK action plan: From hospitals to border checks and travel advice, Covid-19 outbreak plan explained

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  Flybe aircraft at airports including Edinburgh are not being refuelled and engineers are being laid off, sources told the PA news agency.

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The Government’s 27-page action plan to tackle the new coronavirus strain, Covid-19, details how all aspects of our everyday lives will be affected for up to three months if a pandemic is declared.

Work

Up to a fifth of the UK workforce –around 6.5 million people – could be absent from work due to sickness during the peak of a pandemic. This will have an impact on productivity. But small businesses will get more time to pay tax, and people on zero-hours contracts will get support with sick pay.

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Boris Johnson unveiled an action plan which could disrupt day to day lives for at least three months if the virus could not be contained (Photo: FRANK AUGSTEIN/POOL/AFP/Getty)

Class sizes will be allowed to exceed the current limit of 30 pupils. Pupils and teachers will also be permitted to go to different schools if their usual ones are closed or disrupted.

Hospitals

Patients who are not critically ill with coronavirus or other conditions will be discharged early to free up bed spaces for infected people. Retired doctors and nurses will be brought back to help deal with the extra demand, and NHS volunteers will help with tasks such as taking food to patients and carrying out porter duties.

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The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK has risen to 51. Pedestrian wears a mask in London (Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)

If a significant number of police officers and firefighters are off sick with coronavirus, services will be reduced to “critical functions”, including focusing on serious crime and maintaining public order.

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Army

Soldiers could be deployed to critical sites such as nuclear facilities, government buildings and parliament to “back-fill” roles left vacant by sick police and security guards.

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“Social – or population – distancing” will encourage people to avoid social contact outside essential work, and working from home. More people would be encouraged to work from home. Large-scale public gatherings could be banned. Officials did not rule out asking pubs not to show Euro 2020 football matches on TV in the summer. The VE Day 75th anniversary celebrations in May could be cancelled.

Care homes

The most at-risk groups are the elderly and those with long-term conditions, so extra provisions will be made for care homes. This could include such facilities being quarantined to stop visitors transmitting the infection, and providing stockpiles of food and medicine to the elderly.

© Provided by The i A picture shows the front of Hilbre High School in West Kirby, in Wirral, northwest England on March 3, 2020 that was closed to undertake deep cleaning after a parent of a student tested positive for novel coronavirus Covid-19 (Photo: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Mortuaries

The plan does not specifically mention mortuaries but says “there could well be an increase in deaths arising from the outbreak, particularly amongst vulnerable and elderly groups”. It adds: “The UK Government and devolved administrations will provide advice for local authorities.” It says steps will be taken to ensure the “dignity” of those who lose their lives.

Borders

Border Force officers will be given powers to take temperatures and test people arriving in the UK. Public health officials are currently doing this at airports and ports, but legislation later this month will allow Border Force staff to insist people are swabbed – with authority to detain anyone who refuses.

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The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK has risen to 51. Pedestrian wears a mask in London (Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)

People should not cancel their holidays abroad yet unless they plan to travel to countries severely affected by coronavirus, in which case they should check the Foreign Office website for travel advice. However, anyone who is classified at risk should consider not travelling.

Panic buying

The action plan does not mention panic buying, but there has been anecdotal evidence of people stocking up with essential items, hand sanitiser and other hygiene products.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies is using behavioural science to anticipate any panic buying. Officials said it was less likely that people would “panic” than “do what was logical” in stocking up, and that in a crisis people were more likely to be altruistic than selfish.

Follow the government's latest travel advice for people travelling back to the UK from affected areas, including whether to self-isolate. Don't go to the GP or hospital, stay indoors and call NHS 111. In parts of Wales where 111 isn't available, call NHS DIrect on 0845 46 47. In Northern Ireland, call your GP.