People should avoid “unnecessary” car journeys and not play contact sports during Wednesday’s ambulance strike, a health minister has said.
Paramedics, control room workers and technicians will walk out in England and Wales tomorrow in a bitter dispute over pay and conditions.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning, Will Quince said the public should therefore avoid any “risky activity”.
In a separate interview later on BBC Radio 5 Live, the minister elaborated on that advice by saying people not take part in “contact sport” and scrap any “unnecessary” car journeys.
But his intervention was at odds with No.10, who at the same time said it was “not going to list” activities which should be avoided.
The ambulance strikes follows a second walkout by thousands of nurses today after the government refused to negotiate on pay.
Military personnel will be brought into fill some gaps tomorrow and drive ambulances. But they will not be allowed to break red lights, exceed the speed limit or turn on blue lights.
Quince told 5 Live: “If there is activity that people are undertaking tomorrow, whether it’s - for example - contact sport, they may want to review that.”
Asked if people should drive on Wednesday, Quince said: “If there are unnecessary journeys I would say, don’t. No.”
The minister also said while running for exercise was not “hugely risky”, he would not do so tomorrow if it was “still icy”.
Asked about Quince’s comments, Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson said: “I am not going to get into a list.
“We would never recommend anyone put themselves in harm’s way on any given day.” Pressed further, they said: “I’m not going to get into it.
“The public as we saw through Covid can be trusted to use their common sense.”
