Prime minister Boris Johnson has instructed people to work from home and stop non-essential contact with others in a bid to counter the upcoming peak in coronavirus.

Government advice is for all people with symptoms, or in a household where someone has shown symptoms to isolate for 14 days.

But even if you have not been in contact with someone suffering from Covid-19, new measures have been put in place.

Speaking in a briefing at 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: "Last week we asked everyone to stay at home with high temperature and new and continuous cough, today we need to go further.

"Without drastic action, cases could double every five days.

"If you, or anyone in your household, has symptoms, you should stay at home for 14 days.

"If necessary, ask for help from others for daily necessities.

"Even if you don't have symptoms and if no-one in your house has symptoms, there is more we need you to do now.

"Now is the time to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel.

"We need everyone to work from home where they possibly can and you should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and all social venues."

Mr Johnson said that people should only use the NHS when they really need to and said that the government will no longer be supporting mass gatherings, due to them needing emergency workers in attendance.

Schools will remain open for now, but the situation will be continued to be monitored.

While the Prime Minister said that the measures were "draconian" he said that all the measures would be "overwhelmingly worth it."

"This advice about avoiding all social contact is particularly important for those over 70, pregnant women or those with certain health conditions," he said.

"We are asking people to do something difficult and disruptive of their lives.

"The right moment is to do it when it is most effective, when we think it can make the biggest difference to slowing the spread of the disease, reducing the number of victims, reducing the number of fatalities.

"By this weekend it will be necessary to go further and to ensure that those with the most serious conditions are shielded from contact for 12 weeks.

"This period of shielding, of maximum protection coincides with the peak of the disease.

"I believe they are overwhelmingly worth it, to slow the disease and reduce the peak.

"We are asking a lot of everyone, it's far more than washing your hands.

"Across the country, people and business are responding with creativity and energy. I want to thank you all for the role that you will play."

As on previous occasions, the Prime Minister was flanked by chief medical officer Dr Chris Whitty and government chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance.

Sir Patrick Vallance said the virus was entering a "fast growth period" and reiterated the need for home working of possible.

Dr Whitty admitted that the expected upturn in cases on the curve was coming and that "this will go on for some time, it won't be a couple of weeks."