Coronavirus: London police close headquarters to the public

The London Police Service announced on Monday it has closed its headquarters to the public until further notice as part of its efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In a release, the service said it is trying to balance the need to provide community safety with the need to maintain the health and safety of its members and that decisions are being made in consultation with public health officials.

The closure of police headquarters to the public is effective immediately and will last “until further notice.”

“All emergency services are still in place,” police said.

“In the case of an emergency, call 911. For non-emergencies, please call 519-661-5670 or complete a report online.”

Police add that record check applications or Freedom of Information requests will also be limited “to only those that are absolutely critical to ensuring emergency services are maintained.” All other applications and requests will be dealt with once normal services resume, police said.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are asked to self-isolate for 14 days in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.