Sunday was Mothers Day in Britain and the government had a stark message for millions of citizens: Visiting your mom could kill her.

In a message to the nation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson implored Britons to forego the day's traditional family visits, parties and Sunday lunches since authorities could not “disguise or sugarcoat the threat poised by the coronavirus pandemic", AP reports.

"If your mother is elderly or vulnerable, then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus," he said. "This time, the best thing is to ring her, video call her, Skype her, but to avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity."