He said the growing virus outbreak meant “the elderly and vulnerable” would be asked to “shield themselves by self-isolating”.

When pushed on whether they could be asked to isolate for up to four months, he said: “That is in the action plan, yes.

“And we will be setting it out in more detail when that’s the right time to do so, because we appreciate it is a very big ask of the elderly and vulnerable, and it’s for their own self-protection.”