The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The Government’s medical experts have now laid out the next set of measures to deal with coronavirus. The Government has said that advice will continue to change as we move through different stages of response – but these measures are being introduced now because this is the moment at which they will have the biggest effect.
“The Prime Minister said that London is now a few weeks ahead of the rest of the country – because of our global connectivity and size. It is therefore especially important that all Londoners heed the latest advice that applies to them.
“All Londoners should now stop all non-essential social contact. That means working from home wherever possible – and stopping all visits to pubs, clubs, theatres or other venues with immediate effect. This is particularly vital for those aged 70 and over, pregnant women and any age member of a vulnerable group with an underlying health condition.
“If anyone in your household is displaying symptoms of coronavirus then your whole household should now self-isolate for 14 days. That means not leaving your home or having other people visit – and having food and supplies brought to you if necessary.
“And in the coming days, the NHS will contact the most vulnerable people in our society – those with serious underlying health conditions – to advise them to shield themselves from social contact altogether for the next 12 weeks.
“It is crucial that all Londoners follow the advice that is applicable to them. You can find the latest Government advice and how it applies to you on the NHS website. Please do not phone 111 unless your situation is deteriorating.
“I was invited to attend Cobra, 16 March for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic. This is going to be an immensely challenging time for millions of Londoners – and we will all have to look out for our most vulnerable family member, friends and neighbours – but London has faced immense challenges before and always come through it by staying united – as we must do again now.”