A volunteer NHS army is being assembled to fight the deadly coronavirus as Boris Johnson warned of a "mass epidemic" in the UK.
Officials are desperately trying to speed up the six-month process to become a hospital volunteer, with helpers likely to be asked to feed patients as well as move them around wards and deliver medicines.
Retired doctors and nurses could also be forced to re-register with medical watchdogs and provide treatment with full insurance in something of a 'Dad's Army' set up, in another likely step.
Other potential measures include travellers being detained at the country's borders if officials suspect they have the virus, while big gatherings may be called off if the contagion spreads - and people could be encouraged to work from home.
A lead official will be designated to a 'war room' of communications experts and scientists from across the Government and NHS.
The "war room" will be based in the Cabinet Office and report back from each Whitehall ministry to co-ordinate a public information campaign.
The Prime Minister has warned the disease could expand significantly in a matter of days but called for 'business as usual' at schools and shops, despite signs of panic.
One Downing Street source, however, has told The Sun "life cannot carry on as we know it" if the contagion continues - with four more cases confirmed on Monday taking the UK total to 39.
Would-be members of the NHS 'army' will, meanwhile, have to wait three to six months for criminal record checks to be made as well as occupational health assessments and training.
But Health Secretary Matt Hancock is hoping to speed the process up as by the time enough volunteers are ready the virus may have passed.
However, it is understood the worst of coronavirus is unlikely to hit the UK for months.
Mr Johnson, speaking of a likely sudden surge in the virus, said: "That's clearly on the cards – it is possible that we will see a big expansion in the number of cases."
He added: "We have agreed a plan, which I will set out in detail, so if the virus should spread, we are ready to take necessary steps to contain it and protect the most vulnerable."
Legislation allowing the Government to use extra powers to help control Covid-19 is expected to go through Parliament by the end of the month, following the emergency Cobra meeting on Monday.
While the PM insisted the NHS is well prepared to deal with any outbreak, a doctors' group warned there are concerns an already-stretched health service will not cope in the event of a huge increase in cases.
The battle plan is likely to include 'no-go zones' being implemented where a high volume of cases have been confirmed, as well as drastic options for dealing with a major outbreak.
Ministers are hoping to contain the disease but at the very least want to hold off the peak until the winter is over and the NHS is not under so much pressure.
Emergency legislation lifting restrictions on how many pupils can be in a class at one time will allow teachers to take on kids from sick colleagues, with the Government hopeful of keeping schools open.
While extra mortuary capacity is being considered should the death toll suddenly spike.
The police, meanwhile, could be drafted in to enforce road and building closures, and the Army could be called upon to enforce lockdowns.
A country-wide public information campaign is set to be launched later in the week detailing clear steps for preventing the spread of the virus.
Officials are also expected to set aside billions in next week's budget to help businesses and employees tackle the economic fall out if the epidemic becomes more widespread.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that while the UK is focused on containment of the disease for now, the next phase - if the global spread continues - will be attempting to slow the spread and push the virus peak further towards the warmer summer weather .
The European Commission on Monday raised the coronavirus risk level from moderate to high for those in the European Union and the UK.
The UK cases include a worker at the North East London NHS Foundation Trust offices at Vinters Business Park near Maidstone in Kent, a pupil from a secondary school in Torbay, a patient at Davenport House GP surgery in Harpenden and the parent of a pupil at school in Stevenage.
Three of the new cases in England were linked to a man from Surrey, who was infected within the UK.
As the outbreak continues to dominate global headlines, parents have reported that children in playgrounds are playing a "coronavirus game", with one mother describing it as a cross between tag and stuck in the mud.
British Airways said it had cancelled hundreds of upcoming flights in March, including from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports. Ryanair has also reduced flights on some routes, in particular to and from Italy, by up to 25% due to a drop in demand.
Globally more than 88,000 cases of the disease have been confirmed, with more than 3,000 deaths.
