Does anyone think Boris is right?

[Emcont]

I'm not saying I do. But I'm curious to see if anyone agrees with the strategy they're going for as most of what I'm reading is against.

[LucheroTena]

Yes I do.

And I hate him.

I’m a nurse.

Isolating the ‘at risk’ while allowing the less at risk to go about business as usual is total common sense.

[rosie991]

Yea. Shutting schools would make things worse - parents wouldn't keep their children inside would they? They would dump them on grandparents and make things worse. Or the children would be out playing in the streets. Plus it's proven that coronavirus is not dangerous to children or young people in general.

People can't afford not to work either, especially if they aren't even sick in the first place. Statutory sick pay is £90 odd a week, which no one can live on. Unless the government is willing to cover people's wages or the council, landlords, water companies, banks and gas and electric companies agree to waive payments for a few months, how will people cope??

Plus this virus could be around for months. How long do you propose schools are shut for - 3 months, 6, a year?

Children are the safest of all. The people at risk are elderly and those with u deleting health conditions. It would be a better idea to encourage social distancing among the vulnerable in society, self isolation if needs be, and offer them help and assistance in order to make this feasible.

[Parkmama]

Yes I do actually. Flatten the curve and create immunity to avoid spring back. BUT the loss of life along the way doesn't bear thinking about 🤷‍♀️

[JellyBelly78]

No

[Janemarpling]

No

[Clavinova]

Last week Angela Merkel warned German citizens that 60% to 70% of the German population would contract coronavirus - that's not really any different from UK estimates;

www.businessinsider.com/angela-merkel-estimates-coronavirus-will-hit-large-majority-german-population-2020-3?r=US&IR=T

[TabbyStar]

Yes, and this:

The people complaining that he is protecting the economy seem to be missing the point that '"the economy" is your jobs, your benefits and your mortgage.

A ruined economy will also cost lives, sadly.

[GhostofFrankGrimes]

The government are in charge. Trying to pass the buck is pathetic. The UKs problem is that it elected a populist government. Same with the US. Sensible European governments have taken sensible action.

[Lweji]

No.
Pretty much every other country's aim is to flatten the curve, but Boris is doing too little and too late.
I'll be surprised if the UK doesn't end up like Italy with these half hearted, poorly thought out, badly publicised measures.

[Humina]

No.

But you see, he's told half the country not to believe experts and the other half don't believe a single word he says. And that will be our downfall. We've elected a known liar. Who knows if he can suddenly be trusted?

Buying us valuable time by putting us on lockdown seems sensible.

[Butterfingers64]

no. Italy and Spain show what happens if you let the general population get it.

[Lweji]

Just adding that the government in Portugal, where I am, is covering 3/4 of parent's salaries to let them be at home with their children after closing schools. They are testing and keeping an eye on transmission chains.
I don't see that in the uk.

[SisterAgatha]

A dead person can not earn money either though. There is no point catching a virus that will potentially kill you whilst fighting to make a business survive in an economy where most people are self isolating anyway. The business will die and you may die. And if you don’t, the business can carry on. Neither can carry on without tougher measures.

[Meruem]

I do think isolating the over 70s is a good plan, and I am not a fan of Boris. I haven’t liked what he’s done (or not done!) up until now. But yes, isolating the elderly makes more sense than shutting everything down. Although the sceptic in me thinks it’s just so when they do have to refuse treatment to the elderly they can justify it with “well we told you what to do to stay safe so it’s your own fault”. Thus not having to shoulder any “blame”.

[Clavinova]

And it’s not just Boris. All parties are in on the talks but you don’t hear anyone criticising them.

Indeed - the SNP MP on Question Time couldn't have been clearer - they attended cross party talks with the Government (Thurs morning) and they backed the Government's approach.

[GhostofFrankGrimes]

Austerity cost lives and jobs but it's nice that's it's taken a global pandemic for people to start considering the low paid.

[PutYourBackIntoit]

@IheartNiles totally agree.

We're self isolating as my Ds and myself are at risk. We will be so grateful to be able to come back to society, well, because those that were able to ploughed on for us.

[IamPickleRick]

The UKs problem is that it elected a populist government. Same with the US. Sensible European governments have taken sensible action.

This 100%

[selfisolate]

yes, I can see what hes doing. Flattening the curve and doing a total lockdown means the virus will spring back up again after! Then well be back to square 1. Social distance, vulnerable groups quarrentine yes. Then the rest of us will build immunity in case the vulnerables get it later. Ex nurse here too.

[donquixotedelamancha]

Yes. I think we will start trying to flatten the curve soon and I think that's the right call.

But it is unquestionably a risk, whichever approach is taken.

The idea that the Tories are happy for thousands to die (and respected scientists are going along with that) is silly.

[workshyfop]

The approach the UK are taking is very sensible.

[Lweji]

You can isolate the elderly AND reduce transmission in the wider community too.
If nothing else to reduce the number of health professionals, food supply people, essential services people who get sick and need to stay at home.

At peak epidemic the impact to the economy is likely to be much greater.

[Southwestten]

There’ll be a snowball fight in hell the day the majority on mumsnet agree with anything a Tory government does.

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

Yes. No solutions are going to stop this. Lockdown will just delay or postpone it. I think I’d rather have to deal with this over the summer months than wait until autumn. Protect the vulnerable first.
Also do none of you live in UK? We (as a nation) do not like doing what we are told. I don’t think the majority will self isolate.

[Lweji]

The approach the UK are taking is very sensible.

The WHO disagrees.