Matt Hancock: COVID needs to change ‘British way of soldiering on with flu and making everyone ill’

Health secretary Matt Hancock has said the coronavirus pandemic needs to change the “British way” of people “soldiering on into work” when they have flu symptoms.

Hancock, speaking to MPs at a House of Commons committee on Tuesday, said the COVID-19 crisis should alter people’s attitude to public health once it is over.

Hancock criticised what he views as a British cultural norm of going into work “as long as you can get out of bed”.

During a joint meeting of the health and social care committee and science and technology committee addressing lessons learned from the pandemic, Hancock said: “I want to have a change in the British way of doing things, where ‘if in doubt get a test’ doesn’t just refer to coronavirus but refers to any illness you might have.

Credit: Parliamentlive.tv