Coronavirus: Matt Hancock’s social distancing slip-up caught on digital camera

Well being Secretary Matt Hancock has been noticed slapping a colleague on the again within the Home of Commons, regardless of social distancing measures in place to curb the unfold of coronavirus.

Mr Hancock’s second of obvious forgetfulness occurred as he arrived to Prime Minister’s Questions.

He and different ministers have repeatedly urged the significance of individuals conserving two metres away from each other.

The Division of Well being has been contacted for remark.

In a clip which rapidly garnered hundreds of views after it was posted on Twitter, the well being secretary may be seen placing his arm throughout a colleague’s shoulder as he enters the Commons.

A 3rd MP then comes and stands beside each of them, earlier than the person within the center steps again.

Mr Hancock then steps throughout to fill the hole to talk to the third MP, earlier than shifting again once more.

Mr Hancock introduced he had examined constructive for coronavirus in March – shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed his personal constructive take a look at.

Whereas Mr Johnson needed to spend a number of days in intensive care, Mr Hancock had gentle signs.

Scientists have mentioned it’s possible that individuals who have already had the virus may have some immunity to it, however that everybody should nonetheless keep on with social distancing guidelines.

The World Well being Group mentioned in Might that there was “at present no proof” that individuals who have recovered from the virus are protected against a second an infection.

Talking within the Commons after the slip-up, Mr Hancock defended why the federal government has not but lowered social distancing from two metres to 1 metre – one thing many companies have mentioned shall be essential to their restoration as they reopen.

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“It is the type of factor in fact we wish to carry and we have to do this in a means that’s cautious and protected,” Mr Hancock mentioned.

“The scientists are reviewing it, together with the economists, and we are going to take ahead the additional measures on this when it is doable and protected to take action.”

A assessment into the two-metre rule shall be accomplished “within the coming weeks”, No 10 mentioned on Monday.

World Well being Group (WHO) tips recommend a one-metre distance sufficiently reduces the unfold of the virus.

However the authorities’s scientific advisers say that being one metre away from others carries as much as 10 instances the chance of being two metres aside.