[ad_1]
A new public awareness campaign was launched, urging people to “stay home” and “act like they have” the coronavirus in an attempt to encourage the public to abide by the lockdown rules.
It comes amid growing fears that people have not been observing social distancing rules, as the number of cases increases, hospitals flood and deaths continue to rise.
On Friday, a record 68,053 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the UK and one in 50 people in England is now believed to have coronavirus, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The government’s advertising campaign is broadcast on television, radio, newspapers, and social media.
the Tv ad is headed by England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, who says: “COVID-19, especially the new variant, is spreading rapidly across the country. This puts many people at risk of serious illness and is exercising a lot. pressure on our NHS.
“Once again, we must all stay home. If it is essential to go out, remember: wash your hands, cover your face in and keep your distance from others.
“Vaccines give clear hope for the future, but for now we must all stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson adds that infection rates are skyrocketing at an “alarming rate” and “our hospitals are under more pressure than at any time since the start of the pandemic.”
“The vaccine has given us new hope in our fight against the virus, but we must not be complacent,” he says.
On September 1, there were fewer than 500 people with COVID-19 at the hospital, the government said.
This had skyrocketed to around 9,000 by Nov. 1, and by Christmas Day it had hit 17,701, just below last spring’s peak.
By January 7, that number had skyrocketed to nearly 30,000.
Meanwhile, The data suggests that compliance with the current lockdown is lower than in the spring.
The Citymapper transport app tracks how many people plan journeys by walking, cycling or taking a taxi in London, Manchester and Birmingham.
According to app data, during the first lockdown, mobility dropped to less than 10% of pre-pandemic levels. And in April, the use of public transport in London fell below 10%.
But this time mobility has dropped less to just under 20%. As of Friday, London’s tube use fell to 18% and bus use was 30%, according to Transport for London.
Frontline workers have joined the government in asking people to stay home to contain the coronavirus and take pressure off the services.
Dr Katie Sanderson has been treating COVID-19 patients in London and says people should follow the rules.
She told Sky News: “I think it is really important that people know what is happening in their local hospitals.
“I think looking inside intensive care units, inside hospitals, is helpful for people to understand how sick these patients are.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘We have to think carefully about what we do’
London Fire Brigade Commissioner Andy Roe has also urged the public to “think of yourself, think of your neighbors, think of your families and do everything you can to minimize the spread.”
So far 185 firefighters have stepped in to drive ambulances to aid the response to the virus in London.
On Friday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a state of emergency due to the increase in cases that threaten to invade the capital’s hospitals, which are already exhausted.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
ICU doctor warns of NHS depletion
Mr Roe said: “It was something we were probably waiting for, we had seen the pressure increase on our colleagues in the National Health Service.
“The London Fire Brigade has been here for 150 years serving and protecting London, and we will see it through the pandemic.”
Since March, London firefighters have delivered 21 million PPE items and coordinated the delivery of food and medicine packages to the most vulnerable.
“What I have seen this year is the best of the London Fire Brigade and the men and women they serve,” Roe said.
