Outdoor Exercise Could Be Banned In Stricter Coronavirus Lockdown, Says Matt Hancock
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Outdoor exercise could be banned in a stricter coronavirus lockdown if people continue to flout social distancing rules, the government has said.
Health secretary Matt Hancock warned ministers could impose even tighter rules on social distancing after reports showed people flocking to parks and beauty spots.
It comes as the public were warned to resist going outside in the warm weather and that sunbathing was against rules “backed up by law”.
Labour’s new leader Keir Starmer said he would back a new crackdown if the government thought it was necessary to curb the spread of the potentially fatal disease.
Hancock told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “I think this example of exercise is a really important one, because we’ve said because of the positive benefits to your physical and your mental health that it’s OK to exercise on your own or with members of your own household.
“But if the result of that is that too many people go out and flout the other rules because they say ‘well if I can exercise then it’s fine for me to do other things’ then I’m afraid we will have to take action.
“I don’t want to have to take that action, of course I don’t, but we have already demonstrated that we are prepared to take the action that’s necessary to get this virus under control.”
As it stands, the public have been told they can only leave the house for food, work (where it is not possible to work from home), a medical need, and to exercise once a day.
Hancock added: “So my message is really clear. If you don’t want us to have to take the step to ban exercise of all forms outside of your own home then you’ve got to follow the rules and the vast majority people are following the rules.
“Let’s not have a minority spoiling it for everybody.”
