Social distancing ‘is your chance to save someone’s life’ says NHS

The NHS England national medical director has begged every Briton to follow social distancing guidelines, saying this is their chance to save somebody’s life.

Stephen Powis said on Saturday it is ‘absolutely crucial’ that people across the country reduce social contact, as many are accused of ignoring advice amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The professor addressed the nation at a Downing Street press conference, saying: ‘It’s not for somebody else to follow, it’s for you to follow, it’s for me to follow, it’s for everybody to follow.

‘This is all our problem and if we do it together, it will be an effective strategy. If you do it, you follow the advice, you will be saving somebody’s life.

‘This is the time in your lifetime whereby your action can save somebody’s life. It is as simple and as stark as that.’

It comes after Boris Johnson announced he was stripping the ‘ancient inalienable right of freeborn people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub’ – as well as closing all gyms, clubs, theatres, cinemas, restaurants and leisure centres.

The prime minister said he believed Britons could see the ‘imperative in protecting the NHS and saving lives’ and would do what was necessary. 

He added: ‘I do accept that what we’re doing is extraordinary – we’re taking away the ancient inalienable right of freeborn people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub. And I can understand how people feel about that. 

‘But I say to people who do go against the advice that we’re getting, the very clear advice that we’re getting from our medical and scientific experts, you know you’re not only putting your own life, the lives of your family, at risk – you’re endangering the community. 

‘And you’re making it more difficult for us to get on and protect the NHS and save lives. And if you comply, if people comply as I say, then we will not only save lives, thousands of lives, but we’ll come out of this thing all the faster.’ 

The shutdown will be enforced ‘strictly’ and reviewed by the government each month.

However, government scientists have suggested social distancing may need to continue for up to a year.

In evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), shared by the government on Friday, experts stated that the severity of measures could alternate during this period. 

However, they said the ‘stricter’ measures would likely need to be enforced for at least half of the year to be effective.

The report read: ‘It was agreed that the addition of both general social distancing and school closures to case isolation, household isolation and social distancing of vulnerable groups would be likely to control the epidemic when kept in place for a long period. 

‘It was agreed that a policy of alternating between periods of more and less strict social distancing measures could plausibly be effective at keeping the number of critical care cases within capacity.

‘These would need to be in place for at least most of a year. Under such as policy, at least half of the year would be spent under the stricter social distancing measures.’

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