Coronavirus: UK Government ‘will ensure food supplies’

The British Government is working with supermarkets to ensure food supplies as the number of people self-isolating with coronavirus is expected to rise, their Health Secretary has said.

Matt Hancock sought to reassure the public following panic-buying in some areas, with supermarkets seeing their shelves cleared of essentials such as toilet roll and paracetamol.

It comes as an older patient, reported to be a woman in her 70s, became the first person in the UK to die after being diagnosed with coronavirus.

Speaking on BBC’s Question Time, Mr Hancock said: “The Government has supplies of the key things that are needed, and, within the food supply, we are absolutely confident that there won’t be a problem there.

“And, crucially, we are working to makes sure that if people are self isolating, they will be able to get the food and supplies that they need.”

He said there was “absolutely no need” for individual people “to go round buying more than they need.”

He added: “The very, very strong advice from the scientists, from the medics, is that people should not go buying more than they need.”

Mr Hancock also told anyone self-isolating with coronavirus to stay away from their own family members as much as possible, and to wipe down shared surfaces such as in bathrooms.

He said: “People should try to self-isolate from their families, not only go home, try not to go out shopping, definitely don’t use public transport, but within your own home you should also try to self-isolate.”