A British nurse has delivered a stinging rebuke to an actor refusing to adhere to the UK's coronavirus lockdown.
Joanna Jackson, a cardio-thoracic intensive care nurse, took to Twitter to post a selfie, showing her bruised and battered face from wearing personal protective equipment.
"Just held a person's hand as they died alone, without their family or loved ones by their side. Glad you enjoyed your meal," she wrote.
Jackson was responding to a tweet from actor Laurence Fox, who has been a vocal critic of the lockdown measures enforced by the UK in an attempt to bring its coronavirus crisis under control.
In the tweet, Fox called for people to "stay out" and "protect your rights" despite the fact England is in a national lockdown until December 2.
"Just had a large group over to lunch and we hugged and ate and talked and put the world to rights," he wrote.
"You'll never take that away from people… Compliance is violence."
Just held a persons hand as they died alone, without their family or loved ones by their side. Glad you enjoyed your meal. https://t.co/L4FrRUnIdx pic.twitter.com/RWkBELdRXA
— Joanna 🌈 (@joanna_louise0) November 30, 2020
Fox also took aim at the UK's National Health Service and said if the nation's healthcare system couldn't cope then it "isn't fit for purpose".
Twitter users attacked both Fox and Jackson with the former being reported to London's Metropolitan Police.
Police have issued more than 20,000 fines since lockdown measures were introduced in March.
In a statement to The Evening Standard, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said: "The Prime Minister has been clear of the need for everybody across the country to continue to abide by the rules in order to reduce the transmission of the virus, but, as I said, it's up to police to decide what action to take."
Fox doubled down on Twitter later, writing: "Go out, enjoy yourselves, be happy".
Jackson, who was trolled heavily after posting the tweet, said she was signing off Twitter to "have a bath and watch Schitt's Creek".
This has all become a bit much for me now. Thank you to those who have shared your stories with me. I appreciate those who have been kind. Logging off from those being not so kind.
— Joanna 🌈 (@joanna_louise0) November 30, 2020
The UK has the worst coronavirus death toll in Europe with more than 57,000 people losing their life to the illness this year.
Johnson last week announced that England would be returning to a regional tiered system of regulations when it emerges from its own nationwide lockdown on Wednesday.
The UK's four constituent nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – agreed last week to ease rules over Christmas, allowing three households to mix over a period of five days.
The nationwide lockdown has helped coronavirus infections drop somewhat with a further 12,330 cases confirmed on Monday and 205 deaths.
Together we have prevented our NHS from being overwhelmed, but those dangers have not gone away.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 26, 2020
If we ease off now, we risk losing control of this virus all over again. The tough measures in our Winter Plan are the best way to avoid this outcome. pic.twitter.com/7tChvOPN8s
Despite it still being a huge number, it was a fall of 24.4 per cent over seven days.
The number of people admitted to hospital with the illness was 1350, bringing the total over seven days to 13,368.
The tier system will put 99 per cent of the country in Tier 2 and Tier 3, leading to bans on indoor socialising and the closure of many pubs and restaurants.