Matt Hancock has warned the UK is at a ‘tipping point’ and tighter lockdown measures may be needed to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Speaking on Sky News, the health secretary said: ‘The nation faces a tipping point and we have a choice.
‘The choice is everybody follows the rules – or we will have to take more measures.
‘I don’t want to take more measures, more restrictive measures, but unfortunately if people don’t follow the rules that’s how the virus spreads.’
The warning comes as the Government announced people in England will face fines of up to £10,000 if they refuse to self-isolate.
Mr Hancock said authorities would ‘come down hard’ on people who do the wrong thing.
He said: ‘We will support people to do the right thing and we will come down hard on people who don’t do the wrong thing.
‘It comes down to the individual choices of the 60 million people in this country as to whether we keep it there with the local lockdown approach or whether we have to take further national action.’
The health secretary observed that people had become ‘more relaxed’ as lockdown measures were eased and social distancing rules were not being followed.
He said: ‘Of course, I understand we are all human.
‘But now is the moment where everybody needs to get back to the rule of six and “hands, face, space”.’
He continued: ‘In terms of national action, of course we don’t rule that out.
‘But everyone wants to avoid it. I see the economic consequences and I want to avoid it.
‘I’m requesting the help of the British people because we truly have got to do this together.’
Sir Keir Starmer had earlier called on Boris Johnson to apologise for the testing chaos in recent weeks.
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