Someone here referring to "Pandemic" on Netflix - just wanted to say, it's a very good and balanced documentary, I recommend.
In times like these, we'll all have to be creative - DH and I looked through our cupboards yesterday and we've realised we could cook a lot more food than we initially thought, and we'd be fine. Appreciate it will be more difficult and different for a period of time, but we will adapt best we can, things will be ok.
I am personally mortified with our response now, it is obvious that even Trump has been secretly preparing a pretty solid, coordinated plan and yesterday he simply pressed the button (although again, it can be argued his initial approach was cavalier and too little, too late). The fact so many organisations and individuals are already going few steps further than the official UK Govt advice is very telling. This includes devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales. In Wales, for example, all non-urgent NHS outpatient care and surgeries have been suspended and the local health minister said publicly they estimate 20-25k deaths based on scientific modelling. Consider that on a bigger scale throughout the UK. We have family members already affected by the cancellations there but everyone understands how serious things can get.
It is unreasonable to think that so many other countries' response is wrong. They all rely on science and acting jointly in a combined effort is very important too. Being British does not automatically mean being better, I'm so fed up with this inherent superiority which simply isn't justified.
Sir Patrick Vallance's comments regarding "herd immunity" - at what price to everyone? How many deaths does this mean (in comparison to had we acted sooner), what pressure on the health service affecting everyone? What if the virus mutates in such way herd immunity will not necessarily apply, will it be effectivs at all? I think there's his interpretation of the trends and numbers done from a comfy chair, and there's the reality of what this approach might mean that he should be transparent about. There has also been a lot of criticism regarding his approach and it's odd that no other country has concluded the same.
Boris and his team approach the CV from a place of privilege, just like everything else they do. But on this occasion, no one is immune and this will come back to bite him and all of us, severely.