UK steps up communication amid concerns about virus response

British officials have introduced daily televised press conferences with medical experts in an attempt to combat growing criticism of U.K.’s cautious approach to coronavirus outbreak. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his chief scientific and medical visers will dress nation Monday as Britons demand to kw why U.K. — unlike most of its European neighbors — has t closed bars and restaurants, banned large events or shut schools to slow spre of COVID-19 illness.

Johnson’s spokesman, James Slack, said closing schools hn’t been ruled out, but “ scientific and medical vice is that that’s t a step which we should be taking at this point in time.”

Britain lags behind countries such as Italy, Germany and France in number of infections, and government’s scientific visers say implementing draconian measures too early will make m harder to sustain as outbreak peaks in two or three months. So far, Britons have been told to wash ir hands frequently and to stay at home for a week if y have a fever or continuous cough.

U.K. strategy is based on presumption that most people will eventually get virus. Britain’s goal is to slow spre of infection so country’s overstretched health service is t overwhelmed, while protecting those most at risk of serious illness — elderly and people with serious health problems.

government says that in coming days, people over 70 will be asked to self-isolate, possibly for several months. And a ban on large garings, alrey in force in Scotland, may be expanded across country.

Some scientists have taken issue with approach, urging more severe restrictions to enforce “social distancing” and slow spre of virus.

For most people, new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and majority recover. For some, especially older ults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. Worldwide, some 169,000 people have been infected, over 6,500 have died and more than 77,000 have recovered.

As of Sunday, Britain h 1,372 confirmed cases of virus, and 35 people with COVID-19 h died.

U.K. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insisted government’s approach was t “markedly different” from or countries' measures.

" U.K. has probably just been at a slightly different st — compared with places like Italy but also a little behind where France and Germany are,” Shapps told Sky News. "It's t that we're t going to get re, but of course our responses are timed in a different way, unique to particular st of this that we're in in U.K."

Britain’s approach has come under increasing pressure as neighboring countries go into lockdown and close ir borders in response to new virus.

Even though government has t ordered mass closures, outbreak has alrey h a huge effect on everyday life in Britain. Ridership on trains and London Underground is down by a fifth as some businesses ask staff to work from home; universities are moving classes online; and several of London’s West End aters have shut, with more expected to follow.

Supermarkets have been stripped of staples including toilet paper, pasta and rice as shoppers igre government appeals t to hoard supplies.

Airlines including EasyJet, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways say y will ground most of ir planes as more and more countries impose travel restrictions and shut ir borders.