Has four strands laying it spread, researching its origins and cure.

Finally, mitigating the should be wary containers about detecting the early cases following up with close contacts, preventing the disease from taking hold in this country for as long as reasonably possible.

If the number of global cases continue cerise, especially in Europe, the scientific advice is that we may not be able to contain this virus indefinitely.

At that point, we'll activate the delay phase of our plan.

DeLay is about slowing the spread, lowering the peak impact of the disease and pushing it away from the winter season.

Mr.

Speaker, The third part of the plan is research.

Research has been ongoing since we first identified Covert 19 and I pay tribute to the scientists of public health.

England, who are among the first in the world to sequence its genome, researchers know, is not just about developing a vaccine which were actively pursuing, but which will be many months away at the earliest.

Research is also about understanding what actions will lessen the impact of a Corona virus, including what drugs and treatments existing and new will help those who are already sick.

Fourth phase is mitigate.

We'll move on to this phase.

If Corona virus becomes established in the UK population at that point, it will be impossible to prevent widespread transmission.

So the emphasis will be on caring for those who are most seriously ill.

Keeping essential service is running at a time when large parts of the work force may be off sick.

Our plans include not just the most likely case, but the reasonable worst case.

We will identify and support the most vulnerable and if necessary, we will take some of the actions set out in today's plan to reduce the impact of absentees and to lessen the impact on our economy and supply chains.

We prepare for the worst and work for the best stay with exceptional points that I have just mentioned.