The Brittish Mountaineering Council are about to state that all climbing should be stopped. This is from a UKClimbing thread
"Very quick reply, as its getting late on sunday night and I've had hours of phone conferences with various organisations, doctors, government depts, National Parks, BBC, NHS etc.
There's been a lot of talk about justifying or validating why we can still travel and go climbing or hill-walking "safely" within our capabilities and that somehow, we can do this without affecting anyone else. or impacting spread of the virus. The simple fact is - we can't - so please stop now!
BMC will tomorrow come out with an amended statement about getting outdoors.
In simple terms it will be along the lines of - Don't travel unless essential; Stay at home (home being were you normally live!); keep social distance of at least 2 meters; Exercise, but very locally to your own home only; Avoid all but essential contact with anyone. If some of this sound familiar it's because it's the same message for everyone. Climbers are not a special case.
We will be saying avoid any activity with any risk of putting burden on medical services. Essential travel is to buy food, for essential workers, for medical supplies. Climbing is not essential activity. (I would never in a million years think i'd ever say that).
Mtn Rescue cover in the UK will be either withdrawn totally in some areas or at best be severely and drastically reduced by tomorrow night. Many popular mtn areas will be closed down.
This shit really is getting real - I've spent over 35 years in various professional roles passionately defending the rights of the individual to go outdoors, to take risks, to have the freedoms to do the activities we love. This time i'm saying bluntly and loudly -just don't! Stay home. Too many very experienced medical professionals I know and respect (who are also climbers) are shitting themselves. We all owe it to everyone else to everything we can to help or at least delay the spread of this disaster. Thousands of lives are at stake. Please put climbing, mountaineering and hill-walking on hold until it's safe to do so.....and i promise if I survive this thing ('cos there's no guarantee I will and many of us won't!) I'll be the first in line demanding to get better and improved access in the future..."
Elfyn Jones
BMC Access & Conservation Officer (Wales)