I am not sure withdrawing kids right now will do anything except hurt people's pockets. I don't think panic is wise, but reading up and informing ourselves is - the pandemic planning is real and important because if there is a true pandemic the consequences we need to worry about are not necessarily death but just getting by as daily life is disrupted.
I read the 'preparedness plans' and flu plans a couple of years ago and as I understand it, the UK is VERY WELL geared up to prepare for a pandemic. Some of the cynics here are right: people will die as they do of flu, but it may be more or less than 'normal' seasonal flu.
My understanding of the pandemic plan was that regional health monitoring will kick in and schools and childcare settings will be closed as necessary, not a blanket closure.
I think the real risk - if this does turn into widespread flu - is on work and care. Estimates are for between 30 and 50% absenteeism in the case of a large outbreak as people fall ill and/or have to care for those ill or just off school.
But in theory, local authorities, utilities providers, private distribution companies are all supposed to have a contingency plan in place.
And the govt has gradually been drip feeding the idea of private citizens having a 'preparedness plan' for just this eventuality (or terrorism etc). I am thinking of it like insurance: you hope you won't have to use it, but knowing what you would do if for example your whole family were ill at once?
Hysteria won't help, nor will creative conspiracy theories. Realistic prevention and contingency planning will help if, as everyone hopes it won't, large numbers of the population are ill at once.