Boris Johnson has urged people not to visit their mothers today (March 22), as concerns over coronavirus grow.
With it being Mother's Day, people up and down the country will be keen to see their loved ones in person - but the Prime Minister has advised against doing so.
His stark message came as the number of confirmed Bristol cases rose by more than 50 per cent in one day, increasing from 13 to 20 yesterday (Saturday, March 21).
When asking for people to stay away from their mothers, Mr Johnson said: "This time, the best thing is to ring her, video call her, Skype her, but to avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity.
"And why? Because if your mother is elderly or vulnerable, then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus, or Covid-19.
"We cannot disguise or sugar-coat the threat."
He warned the NHS could be "overwhelmed" if people do not act to slow the "accelerating" spread of the illness.
On Friday the PM was asked at his daily press conference whether he would be visiting his own 77-year-old mother, reported BBC News.
He responded by saying he would "certainly be sending her my very best wishes and hope to get to see her".
Today, 1.5 million people considered at the highest risk from coronavirus have been urged to go into complete lockdown by the Government.
The PM added in his message yesterday that "doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand" in Italy, adding the UK is only "two or three weeks behind".
There have been 220,000 cases of the virus worldwide with more than 9,000 deaths.
If you want to show your appreciation for your mum without seeing her in person, you could consider setting up a Skype call, as Mr Johnson suggested, or ordering her a meal from her favourite takeaway.
