‘THIS virus will not stop infecting more and more of us, with in some cases fatal consequences, without us all playing our part,’ warns MP Anne Marie Morris.

Speaking after Prime Minister Boris Johnson had ordered people to stay at home during the Coronavirus pandemic, the Newton Abbot MP said:

‘We live in unprecedented times facing a new enemy, a life threatening virus. The Prime Minister has taken a number of difficult steps to protect us and the lives of our loved ones. But they have not been enough.

‘With immediate effect to limit and slow further contagion he has announced and we must accept some substantial limits on the freedoms we have to date enjoyed and taken for granted. All of us must stay at home except in exceptional and limited circumstances which have been clearly spelt out. Where we can work from home we should.

‘The government has already put in place the mechanisms to support the most vulnerable and to ensure we all can continue to buy food and medicine. It has also put in place mechanisms to enable jobs and incomes to be sustained in a way never seen before . Clearly more needs to be done, particularly to support the self employed.

‘This was a difficult decision to make. But be under no illusion, this virus will not stop infecting more and more of us, with in some cases fatal consequences, without us all playing our part.

‘These restrictions are for every single one of us, not just for “everyone else”. Journeys to work – only if you can’t work from home. Visits to the shops – for food and medicine only and infrequently. A walk with the dog once a day – fine.

‘Together we are finding new ways of working and socialising within these constraints, without face to face and physical contact. The two metre distance rule continues to apply and regular hand washing.

‘The British have always been outstanding in times of adversity, and I have been overwhelmed how much communities are already coming together to support each other. That is what we do best. We must and we will rise to this challenge – together.’

All over Devon people have come together in various community projects that are delivering help where it’s needed most, visit Anne Marie’s website to find out more