Type of Intervention: Advisory
Sectors Involved: Finance/Economy, Health, Private Sector and Businesses, Social Services
Intervention Categories: Planning and strategy; Creation of or release of plans
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency:
10 Downing Street
PM Boris Johnson
COBRA Committee
Chief Medical Officer
GCSA
Overview: Britain moved from the “contain” phase of the crisis to the “delay” phase of its 3 March strategy. PM Boris Johnson said: “We have all got to be clear, this is the worst public health crisis for a generation…It is going to spread further and…I must level with the British public: many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”
Full details here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-coronavirus-12-march-2020
Other links: 1 2 3
Type of Justification: Advice of INTERNAL government advisory committee or group
Source of Evidence or Justification: National – government
Evidence/Justification: “I’ve just chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee including ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.” https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-coronavirus-12-march-2020
“The UK Chief Medical Officers have now raised the risk to the UK from moderate to high.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-government-announces-moving-out-of-contain-phase-and-into-delay
“At all stages, we have been guided by the science, and we will do the right thing at the right time. We are not – repeat not – closing schools now. The scientific advice is that this could do more harm than good at this time. But we are of course keeping this under review and this again may change as the disease spreads. Schools should only close if they are specifically advised to do so. And that remains our advice. There is no escaping the reality that these measures will cause severe disruption across our country for many months. The best scientific advice is that this will help us slow the disease and save lives.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-coronavirus-12-march-2020