New lockdown advice to stay alert ‘as much as possible’ criticised

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed the first details of his governments new revised measures.

The official guidance has been up until now, to “stay at home, save lives, protect the NHS,” has now changed to “stay alert, control the virus, save lives.”

Via Twitter the Prime Minister announced the new changes and has now placed the new advice from the government, changing the previously red slogan to green.

Johnson has been heavily criticised as the shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said public have been left confused over the government briefings.

Ashworth said, “I think the problem with the slogan that has been briefed to some newspapers is that people will looking at it slightly puzzled, questioning what does it mean to stay alert and what are the government saying with that.

“I think some of those briefings to newspapers has led to the situation yesterday and on Friday of lots of people going to parks, enjoying the sunshine.”

Whilst Labours’ Mayor of Greater Manchester wrote on Twitter, it “feels to me like a mistake to me to drop the clear” stay at home message.

Dave Ward, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union slammed the Prime Minister by saying this is a “deadly virus, not a zebra crossing.”

Ward said, “The messaging from this government throughout this crisis has been a total joke, but their new slogan takes it to a new level.”

He added: “Stay alert? It’s a deadly virus not a zebra crossing.”

JK Rowling the author of the Harry Potter series wrote on Twitter, “Is coronavirus sneaking around in a fake moustache and glasses?

“If we drop our guard, will it slip us a Micky Finn? What the hell is ‘stay alert’ supposed to mean?

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News, “I think that’s what the public want and that they will be able to understand this message, which is that we should be staying home as much as possible but when we do go to work and go about our business we need to remain vigilant, we need to stay alert.”

Sky News Sophy Ridge asked Jenrick if there was a danger the message was too woolly, Jenrick said, “Well I hope not.

“We need to have a broader message because we want to slowly and cautiously restart the economy and the country.”