Did UK introduce restrictions too early?

[Makeitgoaway]

Hear me out!

I don't think they planned to close schools when they did. I think the Welsh and Scotish governments forced their hand and they themselves were influenced by public opinion more than the science.

When I first heard "the plan" it sounded like there were terrible things to come but it made sense to me, as a way of controlling things as much as possible.

The public didn't like it and there was outrage that we didn't "lockdown" to protect ourselves, although "the public" also didn't behave in any sort of sensible manner to protect themselves as we saw last weekend.

So, measures were in force earlier than planned. The more restrictions there are and the earlier they are in place, the longer this thing will last. The restrictions don't protect "us", they protect the NHS. Most people will need to get it before this is over. Lockdown won't make it go away, just slow the rate of infection, meaning it takes longer to play out. While the NHS is coping, was there any need for the restrictions?

In Italy, it has taken 3 weeks for signs of social unrest to emerge. If that happens here we won't be even close to the peak at that stage. What happens then?

Too late

Sorry OP but accordingly to various mainstream media sources, our NHS staff don’t have adequate PPE, rationing of ventilators is already necessary, and front line medics are dying, we don’t have sufficient tests for staff etc etc, demonstrating that already the nhs is not coping and we haven’t even hit the peak of this.
Our trajectory is in line with faster moving countries not those which acted swiftly and decisively to get it under control.
We needed to apply more restrictions, sooner, to reduce numbers (and pressure on the nhs) to buy as much time as possible time to understand the virus better and improve treatment and vaccine options, to reduce further illness and death.

The herd immunity concept cannot be relied upon. It refers to vaccines not to exposure to a virus. We don’t know how strong or long lasting antibodies to this are, it could require renewed immunity every year, so it’s not an inevitable that 65% of the population get this and then it’s over.. the consequences will be be dire if we don’t continue to manage this downwards using every tool at our disposal.

We went into lockndown at least a week too late. For them to say 20,000 deaths would be seen as a good result confirms that. I'm sure if you're burying one of those 20,000, risking your life to look after one of those 20,000 or part of the team ordering a temporary morgues to store the dead you wouldnt be suggesting we went into lock down later.

@Bool

But where has a 0.1% mortality rate come from? I haven't seen anything that indicates that is credible...

Boring thread, trust the experts

I'd have preferred a week earlier tbh. However I believe they are doing the best they can with the data they had. However I'm still mad about the lack of testing there are plenty of companies now that can pump out hundreds of thousands of tests a week with decent accuracy but government seem to want near perfection. I'd take a 98 percent accuray home finger prick test data over not having anything.

You're joking right? Didn't this lockdown happen what 7 days ago?.. After Boris knew he was sick & stopped joking around. And you "ask" its was"too soon". Seriously??

This anti-science brigade is absolutely sickening, and if it was ONLY your kids and family at risk of dying from this constant poo-pooing I would say PARTY on!!!

I think it was too late. And why didn’t they ground flights immediately? And why aren’t they testing every bugger who comes off these flights?!

The week the schools finally shut down, the class I work with had only 18 children in out of a class of 30. Parents were keeping their children at home all over the country.

We should have stopped people coming in from abroad, except for those who live here a bit before we did.

I agree with kennycat over flights.

I hear you but I'm glad they did lock us down sooner rather than later.

The environment is repairing itself, the hospitals are near empty for the 1st time in a decade, the Police are getting a breather for the 1st time in a decade and the farmers are seeing a resurgence in the public buying from them rather than supermarkets.

On a personal note my DD is really struggling at school and was one more bad day from a nervous breakdown..... she's done far more work at home than she's been achieving at school so for us this is a blessed relief.

My DH was also on a road to burnout so this enforced hiatus is doing him the world of good and for the 1st time ever I get the benefits of going out to work (with my mates) and when I come home I can just have a bath and eat my prepared tea by a family that are actually appreciating me for a change!

No complaints from me.....yet.

No. Way to late. They are still letting flights land. Ridiculous. They should have stopped all incoming traffic straight away.

@Kennycat - Absolutely.

@Retired65 - We should have stopped people coming in from abroad, except for those who live here a bit before we did

Is that coz only foreigners and not Brits could possibly carry Covid 19?

It was far too late...at least 3 weeks. Countries that acted early are successfully managing to the keep the number of infected and therefore also dead at much lower level. The herd immunity strategy that was employed at the start was a big mistake that will cost more lives. But...I am glad the restrictions have finally happened.

@bool you keep quoting a 0.1% infection fatality rate.

Here is the latest report from Imperial College London. They are very clearly using a 1% infection fatality ratio.

You have been given this information many, many times now.

@nellodee yawn

I think 2 weeks too late! London is a hot bed currently and about to get a whole lot worse. The airports should have been closed and all those returning quarantined not left to self isolate. Things wouldn’t have been half as bad if we had got on the front foot with this. They panicked about the economy and money but the way we’ve done it will cost more lives and more money. Lose lose Boris

@nellodee

It is a reflection of our maths teaching at school that people can't count so cannot tell the difference between 0.1% and 1%.

Yawning in school and still yawning now !!

The bottom of this iceberg is enormous. People infected with mild or no symptoms. I personally know of people who are living with people who have been badly affected and have a mild cough or zero symptoms. I know of people who have been tested and no symptoms. The ratio will hit 0.1% which is what the experts are basing their ratios on. But I give up. Let’s see shall we. 40,000 deaths in Italy or uk - there or there abouts. 200,000 in USA which may be higher because of obesity and diabetes. Let’s see

@1000atfc5423 Hahahaha I have a A at A level in further maths. I know my 0.1% from my 1%. Anyway let’s see.

I got drunk tonight for first time in a long time and I think alcohol kills this virus and isolation if your unhappy at home I guarantee alcohol will sort that out plus we know alcohol kills germs so all good.

@1000atfc5423 ahhh and have a degree in biology from oxford. With virology. I was not yawning in school.

Restrictions were followed with scientific advice ....... it was not government lead

@1000atfc5423 too true, unfortunately.

@Bool - we are all anonymous people on the internet here.

Citations and sources are needed. Show us one credible source for your 0.1% figure. I've asked you to provide this before. You haven't. I've provided many, many sources and citations showing it is higher.