Matt Hancock confirms he is now self-isolating at home

Matt Hancock confirms he is self-isolating after receiving a notification from the NHS app.

Posting on Twitter, the health secretary confirmed he had been ‘pinged’ by the app, which told him he had been in ‘close contact with somebody who has tested positive’.

He went onto explain that he will be working from home for the next six days, before adding: “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.”

It comes three days after he was filmed ‘covered in mud’ playing rugby in a London park with his two sons, while prime minister Boris Johnson urges the public to ‘stay home’.  

Last week Boris pleaded with the public to ‘think twice’ before leaving their houses this weekend. 

He said: “It’s safest to assume that you may have Covid. So please really think twice before leaving the house this weekend and only do so if it’s absolutely necessary.”

Adding: “This is not the time for the slightest relaxation of our national resolve and our individual efforts. So please stay at home, please protect the NHS and save lives.”