Hear me out...a few thoughts about the "more infectious strain"

[Whatever9999]

So a virus is gonna do what a virus is gonna do, its whole raison d'etre is to spread to the next person.

Is it possible that we have actually caused this mutation to dominate by social distancing, wearing masks, etc?

After all if the virus was struggling to spread and multiply with the distancing then as with all evolution, a more transmissible strain would have an evolutionary advantage and so is going to be more successful in being passed on. Its literally how evolution works and the life cycle of a virus is so much shorter than most animals/plants which means it can evolve in a much quicker timescale.

*note I am not saying that we should stop social distancing, I'm simply saying that is it not possible that the virus has simply done what every living organism eventually does (or doesn't and dies out) which is adapt to its surroundings

@lightand yes, my auntie returned to NZ in December and did a test before the flight then 2 weeks in a managed isolation facility with regular testing throughout her time there. I know that wound be a huge task for the Uk but they've been so slow with any sort of travel restrictions, and letting people go off for a week in Benidorm was just insane!

Yes the virus has done what all viruses do, as has been noted by comparing it with flu.

If there had been a timely response in March and September especially from government, the virus would have been transmitted to fewer people, so less chance to spread.

I wonder whether we artificially pushed the second wave much later than it would have been by a too long lockdown that went in in to July last time? Unless our policy was eradication would we have been better easing restrictions and getting kids back in May?