BUSINESSES across Bromsgrove have said they will be shutting with immediate effect following stark warnings that unless action is taken thousands could die from coronavirus.

The Artrix, Pride Of Longbridge 2020, and Bromsgrove’s walking sports, are among many that have said they will close or suspend all sessions following news the UK must try to reduce the peak of the disease - and help limit the spread.

The Artrix has postponed all events and closed the building.

It said because of the "huge demands" of the situation it is asking people to consider donating some or all of the ticket value to the venue rather than asking for a refund on cancelled shows.

It comes as the UK has “no time to lose” in changing tactics in order to prevent thousands of deaths and the NHS being overwhelmed, scientists have said.

The Imperial College Covid-19 response team – which is one of several scientific teams advising ministers – published a paper showing that 250,000 people could die if efforts were focused only on delaying and slowing down the spread of Covid-19.

The paper analysed the most up-to-date data from Italy and the UK and concluded that the only “viable strategy” was a Chinese-style policy of “suppression” of the virus, elements of which have now been adopted in the UK.

It said: “In the UK, this conclusion has only been reached in the last few days, with the refinement of estimates of likely ICU (intensive care unit) demand due to Covid-19 based on experience in Italy and the UK (previous planning estimates assumed half the demand now estimated) and with the NHS providing increasing certainty around the limits of hospital surge capacity.

“We therefore conclude that epidemic suppression is the only viable strategy at the current time.”