Boris Johnson kept shaking hands at public events even after his own scientific advisers warned against it, papers revealed – as the UK’s coronavirus death toll became the highest in Europe.
Some scientists urged an end to hugging and hand-shaking in early March, according to papers released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.
But on the same day, the Prime Minister told a No10 press conference he was still shaking the hands of people he met. On March 3, he said: “I was at a hospital the other night, where I think a few there were actually coronavirus patients, and I shook hands with everybody, you’ll be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands.” Two days later he shook hands with Phillip Schofield and Holly