Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Sep 12, 2025

UK: Bodies on hospital wards overwhelmed by coronavirus so why won't people listen?

An image of a man lying in the streets of Italy, and people being treated in hospital corridors in Madrid should serve as a reminder to people in the UK of what is about to come as thousands refused to stay at home this morning.
Despite the warnings, the Central Line was packed with commuters unable to stay two metres away, against government advice, as the UK’s coronavirus outbreak is set to get even worse.

Transport for London (TfL) urged people not to travel unless they have a critical job, but trains and tubes remained packed this morning.

The crowded tube trains are even more disturbing when compared to images emerging from Italy, which the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said we are only a matter of weeks behind.

A man wearing a protective mask was found lying unconscious on the ground near a bus stop in Rome on Sunday. He was carried away by paramedics as the country, ravaged by the world’s most deadly outbreak of Covid-19, recorded 651 deaths in one day, taking the death toll to 5,476.

It’s not known if the man has coronavirus, but it demonstrates just how stretched the Italian health services are at the moment.

For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here. For our Coronavirus live blog click here

Finn Brennan, district organiser for train drivers’ union Aslef, said Tube staff were ‘furious’ that services were still extremely busy.

He wrote on Twitter: ‘Still heavy loading on some Tube lines this morning making social distancing impossible. This is endangering the health of the vital workers who have to use the system.

‘The Government must act now to ensure only ESSENTIAL journeys are made.

‘I’m being sent pictures of crush loaded platforms at some Jubilee line platforms this morning. Drivers and other frontline staff are furious.’

TfL suspended the Circle line and Waterloo & City line, and reduced frequencies on other parts of the Tube network. Bus services have also been cut.

Despite repeat warnings, crowds flocked to public places in their thousands over the weekend, with worrying pictures showing people queueing up for food stalls in busy park markets, and seaside towns filled with visitors.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned the Government ‘may have to take further action’ if people continue to flout social distancing rules of staying two metres away from each other.

He told Sky News: ‘This is not the sort of thing that anybody would want to do but, of course, it is the sort of thing we might have to do in order to protect life.

‘If you do go out, you must not get closer than two metres from someone who isn’t in your household.

‘It is a really simple rule and incredibly important, because to protect life and the NHS we need to stop the spread of this virus and the virus spreads by people coming into close contact with each other.’

Mr Hancock said it was ‘very selfish’ of people to continue to socialise as the NHS battles to tackle the coronavirus epidemic.

He told the BBC: ‘Until we get a grip on the spread of this virus with the kinds of measures we have taken, then we can’t start to get our way out of it as a country.’

The PM warned yesterday that the NHS could be ‘overwhelmed’ in the same way as the Italian healthcare system has been, if the spread of coronavirus in the UK is not curbed.

But during his daily press conference on Sunday, he indicated he was reluctant to ban people from going outside for a walk or to exercise because of the physical and mental health benefits, as long as they acted responsibly.

The Government later issued updated guidance making clear that essential travel did not include visits to ‘second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays’.

However among some MPs there was a clear mood for firmer action amid fears that further delay would cost lives.

Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan said Mr Johnson’s ‘relaxed’ approach to coronavirus could cost lives.

The Tooting MP told the BBC: ‘If we look at the fact that we are two weeks behind Italy, we are headed for a disaster if people do not heed the social distancing measures.

‘The Prime Minister simply said yesterday he wants people to enjoy themselves outside while also saying that people should stay two metres apart outdoors.

‘This relaxed style, mixed messaging will cost lives and I believe people are struggling to follow guidelines because they are just not clear.’

The MP and emergency department doctor confirmed she would support a ‘full lockdown’ if that was proven to be the way to save lives.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
×