Just been reading this online...seems the Gov / Sage actually aimed to frighten us with this message / threaten...kind of explains a bit how people reacted I guess...
Behavioural scientists for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage)...Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, succumbed this morning to mounting pressure to make Sage deliberations more transparent and published a set of the group’s documents, although some have been redacted.
Speaking to MPs, Sir Patrick emphasised that government decisions were “informed by science, not led by science” as he sought to make clear political responsibility.
The documents provide an insight into concerns that the government’s initial messaging was confusing, leading the public to underestimate the threat posed by Covid-19, fears which led to the honing of the “Stay at home” slogan.
On March 22, Sage warned that “a substantial number of people still do not feel sufficiently personally threatened; it could be that they are reassured by the low death rate in their demographic group”.
It added: “The perceived level of personal threat needs to be increased among those who are complacent, using hard-hitting emotional messaging. To be effective this must also empower people by making clear the actions they can take to reduce the threat.”
www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/traffic-light-system-will-grade-risk-of-everyday-activities-krcs7jh5d