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- The speed of our eventual recovery depends entirely on our ability-- our collective ability-- to get on top of the virus now. And that means we have to take the next steps on scientific advice and following our plan. We are strengthening the measures announced on Monday, which you'll remember.
And already, people made a huge effort to comply with those measures for avoiding unnecessary social contact. But we need now to push down further on that curve of transmission between us. And so, following agreement between all the four nations of the United Kingdom, all the devolved administrations, we are collectively telling, telling cafes, pubs, bars, and restaurants to close tonight, as soon as they reasonably can, and not to open tomorrow-- though, to be clear, they can continue to provide takeout services.
We're also telling nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms, and leisure centres to close on the same timescale. Now these are places where people come together. And indeed, the whole purpose, in many cases, of these businesses, is to bring people together. But the sad thing is, I'm afraid, today, for now, at least physically, we need to keep people apart. And I want to stress that we will review the situation each month to see if we can relax any of these measures.
And listening to what I have just said, some people may, of course, be tempted to go out tonight. And I say to you, please don't. You may think that you're invincible. But there is no guarantee that you will get mild symptoms. And you can still be a carrier of the disease and pass it on to others.
So that's why, as far as possible, we want you to stay at home. That's how we can protect our NHS and save lives.