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PIERS Morgan revealed how he would have combatted the coronavirus crisis if he was Prime Minister in a fiery exchange with Dr Hilary Jones on today's Good Morning Britain.

The host, 55, has been highly critical of the Government's response to the deadly virus and today he said he'd have "changed absolutely everything."

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 Piers Morgan revealed how he would have combatted the coronavirus crisis if he was Prime Minister on today's Good Morning Britain
Piers Morgan revealed how he would have combatted the coronavirus crisis if he was Prime Minister on today's Good Morning BritainCredit: ITV

While having a heated debate over death certifications in care homes and the lack of visits made to them by GPs during the crisis, Dr Hilary asked in broader terms what Piers would do.

Piers said: "I would have changed absolutely everything.

"I would have looked at China and South Korea and realised testing was key... this should have been done years before, after we went through a pandemic exercise.

"I’d have locked down at the same time countries got on top of this lockdown and done it properly, not piecemeal.

 Piers is furious about the grave situation in the country's care homes
Piers is furious about the grave situation in the country's care homes
 Dr Hilary vigorously defended doctors and the NHS
Dr Hilary vigorously defended doctors and the NHSCredit: ITV

"I’d have been far more draconian at airports.

"I certainly wouldn't have let a single person out of hospital, elderly person, who had Covid-19 without giving them a test to show they were negative."

Prior to this there was a heated debate between Hilary and Piers over the failure to give care home residents access to a GP.

Dr Hilary said: "Usually there's a trust between the GP and care home manager, who will report what's going on on a daily basis. I don't think people are neglected."

Piers huffed: "Oh come on, Hilary, come on.

"They're not being neglected by the care workers, who are sleeping in tents to protect these elderly people."

Hilary stood his ground and said: "I don't think there's a huge cover up about the cause of death. Most elderly people in a care home will die of pneumonia."

Piers fumed: "It's not a cover up. It's the fact they're not able to say because the system is not working."

Attention turned to the relative lack of testing in care homes, with Piers saying: "We have all this capacity we're not boasting about and yet 35,000 tests a day are not being used and we're still only testing a minuscule number of people where the real epicentre of the crisis is unfurling."

He compared the situation in the UK to Wuhan, China, where the virus is claimed to have originated, and the city's intent to test all 11million residents after a resurgence in cases.

When Piers commended the vast testing effort, Hilary scoffed: "Are they? Are they?"

He then admitted he did not trust the Chinese authorities.

Viewers criticised Piers for talking over his co-star on Twitter.

One wrote: "dr hilary could not get a word in this morning."

Another posted: "As soon a Dr H opened his gob to reply, @piersmorgan spent the next 2 minutes expanding his point!"

A third said: "@GMB won't have any viewers soon if they allow you to keep ranting and not allow anyone a right to reply. Even #DrHilary is being rail roaded by you."

While another shared: "#PiersMorgan didn’t like Dr Hilary standing up to him this morning did he."

Thousands of people have been killed by coronavirus in care homes across England and Wales since the start of the pandemic.

In total, more than 40,000 people have died in the UK having had the virus according to the ONS and some research the death toll could exceed 60,000.

 Piers and Susanna made repeated digs at lockdown rules
Piers and Susanna made repeated digs at lockdown rulesCredit: ITV

The fact that it is hard to know exactly what a person died from, and that not everyone who has died with coronavirus will have been tested, has meant that comparisons with previous years is the most accurate way to estimate the virus' toll.

Piers recently slammed Boris Johnson's coronavirus lockdown plans saying: "I can see thousands of strangers in the park but not my own sons".

On his return to the show on Monday, he blasted the Prime Minister's address to the nation.

He said: "I feel fine except I feel extremely frustrated by what I watched last night.

"I don't know where it leaves us and I don't understand the sequence of events here.

 Piers Morgan returned to GMB on Monday and slammed Boris Johnson's latest plans to beat coronavirus
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Piers Morgan returned to GMB on Monday and slammed Boris Johnson's latest plans to beat coronavirusCredit: ITV

"Boris Johnson clears 15 minutes of prime time, Sunday night television, to address the nation.

"And you expect when you get that amount of time on a Sunday night at seven o'clock you would get loads of great detail that clears everything up.

"Instead we got a load of his usual flim-flam, his bluster, his bellicose, fist-pumping rhetoric. But when it gets to the detail, I don't know where it leaves us."

Piers also slammed the Prime Minister on Twitter for the new rules, claiming they "make no sense".

He wrote: "So, the Prime Minister is urging millions of non-essential workers to go out to work - but also telling people we still can't see family or friends even if we maintain the same social distancing rules as non-essential workers at work?

"Makes no sense. I can drive 100s of miles to sunbathe alongside complete strangers on a beach, maintaining 2m distance - but not see my parents? This is ridiculous.

"I haven't seen two of my sons for 10 weeks. They live 10 minutes away, next to a large common. Am I allowed to go and see them, if I stay 2 metres away? The answer appears to be no, yet I can see 1000s of strangers a day in my local park if I stay 2m away.

"Do I have to get my sons & myself temporary jobs on a building site so I can see them?"

Viewers were divided by Piers' return today, with one saying: "Must admit you got it right today off the bat we’re all confused I was it’s so damaging to the public right now that message!"

 Piers with his sons, from left to right, Bertie, Spencer and Stanley
Piers with his sons, from left to right, Bertie, Spencer and StanleyCredit: ITV
 The GMB host blasted the fact he could mingle with strangers in a park but couldn't visit his sons
The GMB host blasted the fact he could mingle with strangers in a park but couldn't visit his sonsCredit: Press Association

Another added: "That's the best thing Piers has said in weeks."

A third said: "Welcome back Piers. Don’t forget in Wales and Scotland we are still being told to stay home thankfully."

However, others weren't as pleased to see him back, with one saying: "The Morgan ramblings are getting evermore unhinged. Who’d have thought that was possible?"

A second said: "Negativity. Let me spell it out for you. Boris said 'Further details will be explained in the commons tomorrow and at the 5PM briefing'. There is no confusion, wait and find out what he’s going to say today just like we all have to do. You’re losing your grip."

In his address to the nation, Boris revealed a detailed roadmap of how to get Britain back on its feet but still keep the deadly virus under control.

 Boris Johnson addressed the nation on Sunday evening
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Boris Johnson addressed the nation on Sunday eveningCredit: Handout - Getty

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Most of Britain's strict lockdown measures will stay in place for now as it's still too soon to make any major changes, he said.

Piers tested negative for coronavirus after developing symtoms.

He told fans last week: "UPDATE: My COVID-19 test was negative.

"I was advised to take the test by my doctor after developing possible coronavirus symptoms, and was entitled to do so as a Govt-designated essential worker."

Piers Morgan voices his frustration at Boris Johnson Covid-19 television address


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