One in 20 lose job over coronavirus as only eight per cent say public taking threat seriously

Respondents throw support behind government approach to virus after PM orders citizens into homes

Only eight per cent of respondents said the public were taking the threat of the virus seriously (Getty Images)

One in 20 people in the UK has lost a job due to coronavirus, a Yougov poll has suggested, while almost one in 10 are seeing their hours reduced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The virus, which has infected more than 8,000 people across the UK with 422 fatalities, has led businesses across the country to close their doors and turn staff away.

Now in one of the first polls to be released after Boris Johnson called on the nation to stay in their homes, 5 per cent have said they have lost their jobs and an additional 9 per cent have seen the amount of working time offered to them diminished.

Meanwhile more than four in 10 people (42 per cent) have begun to work full time from home after the prime minister called on those who did not need to travel to work to stay within their houses.

It comes after the government introduced its most stringent measures yet across the country, asking that citizens stay at home, leaving only when necessary for vital shopping, medical reasons, a daily dose of exercise — or to work if unavoidable.

In a televised speech to the nation, Mr Johnson said: “In this fight, we can be in no doubt that each and every one of us is directly enlisted. Each and every one of us is now obliged to join together.

“To halt the spread of this disease. To protect our NHS and to save many many thousands of lives.”

And while the majority of the public appear to have faith in the government’s dedication — with 58 per cent saying officials were taking the crisis seriously — the same could not be said of the view of the public’s actions.

The survey of 3,000 people found that only 8 per cent felt overall people were taking the virus seriously, while 87 per cent said it was not being taken seriously enough by others.

And nine in 10 said they would follow government advice on the virus no matter what, while just four percent said they would probably “do their own thing, regardless” of what officials said.

It comes as families hit out at those flouting social distancing conventions after images surfaced across the weekend of large numbers descending on parks and nature reserves across the UK amid the first sunshine of spring.

Brenda Doherty said her family was “devastated and heartbroken” by the death of her mother Ruth Burke, 82, who died in Antrim Area Hospital in Northern Ireland on Tuesday night.

“To those of you who out there are being so selfish in gathering in packs — wise up,” she said.

“How selfish can you be?”