Still impressed by BJ?

Unless you can have real lockdown as per China the closing of schools etc. will just cause general chaos due to the number of parents off work. Real lockdown cannot be achieved in this country because our built up areas are so close together and our road network so convoluted. We have a dense population in a small area. Other countries have more space to work with.

Anathema, sorry

Germany funds their health service differently and is not so much against private or charity funded medical care as many in the UK seem to be.

Their compulsory contribution to healthcare is ringfenced, as is the employer contribution and their public health scheme co-operates with private insurance companies,something which seems to be an absolute anametha to many if mentioned here.

Well, that's strange Oopsminty, because lockdown is exactly what has stopped the virus in China.

Boris isn't just deciding what to do on a whim

Labour supporting commentators are bound to criticise

Jeremy Vine show has a virologist in most days.

He wasn't keen on locking down schools etc etc

Said it was pointless and a waste of time

I have just posted elsewhere that we in the UK are almost at the bottom of 35 european countries intensive bed availability. Where Germany has 31 beds per so many people, we have 6. That’s why our hospital beds are almost always full, leaving nothing fir emergencies such as this. Lucky old us.

Materialise Beds doctors medicine nurses ect

Well yes, unless he's going to make them suddenly materialise!

Exactly HurdyGurdy. Boris doesn't make public health decisions, he draws information from a variety of experts in various medical and statistical fields then more experts come to a conclusion based on all the compiled information. It's altogether very complex. Boris isn't sitting around scratching his mop top and making decisions based on his own knowledge of virus control.

I dunno. We have to understand that whatever government is in power is privy to way more information than the general public and act accordingly. They may not always get it right, but on the whole, it is hoped that they are acting in what at the time seem like the best manner.

There are an awful lot of armchair experts on the internet, all contradicting each other with their own version of the "facts" and all with their view of what should be done, by whom, and when.

I've no time for politicians full stop, no matter what their political persuasion but I think we have to accept that the Prime Minister is taking advice from the actual experts in this, and acting accordingly.

Professor Mohamed Abu Hilal, writing from Brescia, north Italy, warned officials must prepare more beds, doctors and nurses in light of the fiasco happening in Italy.

Is he also ruminating?

Too much rumination

What can be gained?