- Title: London streets start to empty in response to COVID-19
- Date: 23rd March 2020
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 6, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEDESTRIANS ON OXFORD STREET
- Embargoed: 6th April 2020 12:28
- Keywords: COVID-19 London streets Oxford Street Regent Street The Strand Trafalgar Square Waterloo Bridge coronavirus deserted empty streets outbreak
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA002C69VPL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: London streets usually swarming with commuters and tourists were eerily quiet on Monday (March 23) as the country tries to get a grip on the coronavirus outbreak.
Many office workers are now working from home, schools are closed for most pupils, and pubs and theatres have been closed after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government stepped up efforts to slow the rise of cases and enable intensive care units in the state healthcare system cope with the epidemic.
Restaurants, cafes and bars are now closed to customers, offering delivery or take away services only. Many retailers are also choosing to close to keep staff and customers in line with social distancing guidelines.
With countries closing borders and airlines grounding aircraft, the city's tourist numbers has also diminished, leaving popular spots empty.
Oxford Street, Europe's busiest street with half a million daily visitors, remains largely deserted.
The number of journeys on the London Underground train network has fallen by 70%, with authorities advising against all but essential travel and workers opting to work from home.
Britain has urged 1.5 million people identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract coronavirus to not leave their homes, to protect themselves.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the virus rose to 281 on Sunday as cases topped 5,600.
(Production: Ben Makori) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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