Boris Johnson has warned that Brits should “avoid all unnecessary social contact”, “stop all unnecessary travel” and work from home if possible, under the government’s plans to slow the spread of the virus.

However, Johnson stopped short of mentioning shops specifically during his press conference, despite moves from a number of retailers across Europe to shutter their stores.

Over the weekend, Apple, Zara, Disney, Urban Outfitters and Patagonia all revealed they would be temporarily closing their shops in parts of Europe in response to the global pandemic.