Rise of Infection Rates

[Parques]

Can I ask a really stupid question as I can't seem to find the answer? Although we've been in lockdown since Monday 23rd March, why are current infection rates still so high? How are these people still becoming infected in such alarming numbers? Especially since we have been told the incubation period is 14 days and he vast majority of the population have been following government advice on isolation/social distancing etc.? I am genuinely perplexed. Thank you.

@Rebootingagain

The OP asked why infection rates are still so high and I've given an example of how people could have become infected before lockdown but may not become ill immediately. My time frame was meant as an example.

I'm not suggesting this is actual medical fact or the guaranteed pathway for anyone who ends up ill / in hospital, going forwards.

I'd be quite interested to know if my hypothesis had any weight to it actually. How many current deaths / diagnosis were from patients infected before 23rd March?

Because you have got the time lag issue, AND you have got the fact that the virus is continuing to spread within households.

That and the fact that key workers are still out and about, and unfortunately there is no alternative to this unless we all want to starve and have no water or electricity!

I'd be quite interested to know if my hypothesis had any weight to it actually. How many current deaths / diagnosis were from patients infected before 23rd March?

I can't see any way that will ever be known as there's no way to pinpoint where an infection occured.

The OP's question is a valid one and I'm sure there'll be answers on other threads, I've not seen an answer but I know I've seen other threads on this. In this situation I wish MN wouldn't allow multiple threads on the same topic, the discussion and ability to find valid information would be much more useful if it was kept on dedicated threads imo

Thanks all. An increase in testing certainly will account for some additional cases. Let’s hope the government reach their (unrealistic) target by the end of this month.

They have over promised and will under deliver I imagine. Making such a promise just makes him look incompetent.

People must still be getting infected.

People travelling into to London to work every morning on packed tube trains etc.... Impossible for them to social distance.

The supermarket is still likely to cause infection. If you think about it, not everyone wears gloves/masks (can't get any etc). So first you grab a trolley...no gloves and you're touching the bar...possibly touch your face through that trip around the supermarket?... You pick up a fruit that someone else has handled before placing back...you pick up a bottle of milk that a supermarket worker has handled while placing on shelf and unknowingly has covid but not showing symptoms yet.... You get to the till and do self checkout...you touch the screen button to say start scanning! Endless possibilities for infection in a supermarket!

So no matter how long lockdown goes on for, people will still get it.

We're now testing NHS/Care hone/social care staff at a high number each day whereas 10 days ago we weren't. The infection numbers will therefore be skewed as it's gone from hospital patients only to thousands more