Matt Hancock reveals he is isolating after being 'pinged' by NHS coronavirus app - after he was TWICE pictured out in London park despite PM's national plea to 'stay at home' last weekend
- Matt Hancock has revealed that he is self-isolating after being 'pinged by the NHS coronavirus app last night
- The Health Secretary announced that he will be staying at home 'and not leaving at all' until Sunday
- Mr Hancock was spotted out at busy London parks twice over the weekend playing rugby with his children
Matt Hancock has gone into self-isolation after being 'pinged' by the NHS app, he revealed today.
The Health Secretary said he will be staying at home until Sunday after receiving the notification.
Mr Hancock had Covid last year, but even those who have been infected before must isolate.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he will be staying at home until Sunday after receiving the notification
He hosted a press conference last night with medical chiefs Susan Hopkins (left) and Stephen Powis (right)
Mr Hancock was spotted out in a busy London park over the weekend playing rugby with his sons
The Cabinet minister was spotted covered in mud in a London park near his home on Saturday (pictured) and Sunday Mr Hancock tweeted today: 'Last night I was alerted by the @NHSCovid19app to self isolate so I'll be staying at home & not leaving at all until Sunday. We all have a part to play in getting this virus under control.'Mr Hancock was spotted out in busy London parks twice over the weekend playing rugby with his sons.
He hosted a press conference last night with medical chiefs Susan Hopkins and Stephen Powis. Under the rules, they are not expected to have to self-isolate unless Mr Hancock was confirmed as positive with the virus.
It is not known where Mr Hancock came into 'close contact' with the person who has tested positive.
Boris Johnson - who had coronavirus at the same time as Mr Hancock last spring - has also since been forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with a Tory MP who it later emerged was infected.
In a video posted on Twitter from his home, Mr Hancock said: 'Last night I was pinged by the NHS coronavirus app, so that means I'll be self-isolating at home, not leaving the house at all until Sunday.
'This self-isolation is perhaps the most important part of all the social distancing because I know from the app I've been in close contact with somebody who has tested positive and this is how we break the chains of transmission.
'So you must follow these rules like I'm going to. I've got to work from home for the next six days, and together, by doing this, by following this, and all the other panoply of rules that we've had to put in place, we can get through this and beat this virus.'
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