The UK is facing a “moment of national emergency”, the prime minister said, as he ordered people to stay at home. For the next three weeks, Brits may only venture outside to exercise once a day, to travel to and from work where “absolutely necessary”, to fulfil any medical or care needs or to shop for essential items like food.

Retailers selling non-essential products have been closed temporarily. Many had already shut before Johnson’s hard-line measures were unveiled from Downing Street.

John Lewis, Ikea, Debenhams, TK Maxx, New Look, Clarks, HMV, Beaverbrooks, Reiss, Pret, McDonald’s – the list of businesses that took matters into their own hands and shut up shop to protect their employees and customers goes on.

Those businesses that are putting people before profit in such a manner will not be forgotten during the epidemic, nor afterwards.