London on lockdown: A look at how coronavirus shut down the capital

Photographer Angela Christofilou captures the empty streets of the capital as it gets used to life behind closed doors

On Monday 23 March, Boris Johnson announced a lockdown of the UK with strict social distancing measures to delay the spread of coronavirus.

In just a matter of days since the announcement, I’ve witnessed central London, where I have been living for the last five years, empty out and begin to resemble a movie set in a post-apocalyptic world.

Despite being allowed one form of exercise a day, I have chosen to go out much less, twice a week for a short walk around my area, taking my camera with me. Some of the busiest tourist streets in town are totally empty, all non-essential shops are shut, daily life has changed and eerie outdoor scenes are now the new norm.

Walking down Tottenham Court Road towards Oxford Street I got a glimpse of my neighbour peeking their head out of a window to say hello and a few blocks down the road I exchanged smiles with a stranger at a 7ft distance.

This emptiness, however, highlights unity and is why I wanted to document it for The Independent.

It’s reassuring, that even behind these closed doors, people and communities are still coming together to fight the spread of this deadly virus.

Stay safe everyone.

For more of Angela Christofilou’s work you can visit her website here