Members of the public who defy government mandated quarantines and testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus could receive a £1,000 fine or jail time.
Emergency powers may be granted to authorities, which may allow police forces in both England and Wales to use “reasonable force” in order to detain those who are acting recklessly and could infect others with the coronavirus.
England and Wales are following Scotland where authorities have already been authorised to use these emergency powers.
This comes as the UK death toll surged to 35 overnight while the number of cases of COVID-19 rose to 1391.
According to the government’s website, the Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020, those that are suspected to have the coronavirus can be held for up to 14 days in a secure hospital or other suitable location.
Not complying with this can get you taken into custody and then put back into isolation. Leaving isolation can be seen as a criminal offence and could lead to a £1,000 fine and even imprisonment.
Those suspected of having the virus must consent to giving blood for later testing and to having their throat and nose swabbed, according to the reports.
They must also tell authorities who they have met and where they have travelled, to enable tracing of the virus, and knowledge of who they could have transmitted it to, or could have potentially received the virus from.
Our Previous articles on Coronavirus:
7.9 million could be hospitalised due to Coronavirus outbreak
Schools are to send children home if they have a cough
35 in the UK have died, with 1,391 cases of the coronavirus
PM: UK will not be closing all schools
10 deaths as coronavirus cases in the UK reaches 590
Fatalities in Italy rise to 631, with 10,000 people infected with COVID-19
East London firm looking for COVID-19 vaccine test subjects
Fourth UK coronavirus death confirmed in Wolverhampton
180 Soldiers reportedly dead in North Korea due to COVID-19
HSBC evacuates Canary Wharf office because of coronavirus
Sick pay from day one for Brits who self-isolate over coronavirus
