Stan

Full article from that Buzzfeed tweet/thread Seems like a lot of the 'herd immunity' eggs were put in to the basket and now that basket is falling apart. So I agree with @RandoEFC - what was sold last week as Britain being different, unique and over-confident now turns out we've gone backwards and now face a further uphill battle to combat all of this.

Thanks for clarifying. Didn't say that on BBC!

Good comparison graph here on how each country stacks up against each other in terms of total deaths

No and that's the impression I got from today's press conference. A lot of advice but not actually implementing anything. Today's was the worst really as it was advice but contradictory at times.

As part of France's lockdown for the next 15 days, they've suspended rent, taxes and household bills.

Russia bans entry to foreigners til 1st May from Wednesday.

You lot like to be different don't you

Did they say how long they'll be in lockdown for?

Apparently details will be up on the gov website but you'd have thought that'd be ready to go before the announcement... I'm waiting for one member to say we're all wrong and that government have been terrific in their approach, we shouldn't worry and that all the instructions given have been crystal clear...

So clear. Well done all!

Not to the enforcement side yet mate. No police on streets enforcing people to go home or get off the streets. May see that distance thing in next few days after Johnson's announcement today stating to stay at home where possible and avoid social contact.

That's Idris out of the running to be James Bond then.

No wonder Johnson doesn't want to commit to closing establishments:

Would be good if that could have been cleared up at the time. Shit no one asked further about it. My missus has asthma and can get it bad sometimes. Does she stay at home for 3 months?

Ring 111 when you think you have symptoms. I know there's been different responses from them (good and bad) but at least you can say you followed their advice should you recover. I know you said 'for what might end up being fuck all' but is it not better to be safe and sorry? Instead of going in, with the virus and no symptoms, and potentially passing it on, you could stay home (as boring as it may be) be clear for 2 weeks and be confident you don't have it and won't pass it on.

Yep! People's selfishness will get the better of them. It may all be innocent now to have a kick about but people need to act as it they have the disease and act carefully, instead of acting to only avoid it for themselves. It's frustrating when 'normal' members of the public avoid advice, let alone figures in the spotlight like a pro footballer.

I find it all contradictory the statements being made. Stay at home but businesses being forced to close. Schools are open where there's a lot of contact potentially but everyone now told to work from home where possible? It seems like they're reluctant to actually shut socially interactive places (pubs/cinemas/theatres etc) but leave it up to the public to decide.

They live in a different world though don't they

Apparently we're '3 weeks behind Italy' so I guess it makes sense to bring these kinds of measures in. Whether people are wise enough to realise that and stick to staying at home (where possible) is another thing.

Johnson says, after being asked about implementing criminal enforcement/powers should they breach isolation advice, that we are a grown up and mature democracy and British people understand the need to isolate. Didn't actually answer the question... Chris Whitty says healthcare workers can be tested quicker than normal so to decrease the risk to patients they care for.

NHS England is developing a test for patients who have recovered from the virus. Meanwhile the government is expected to scale up testing. They don't say how but just that it will be done. Over 44,000 have been tested and over 42,000 came back negative.

Sounds like it's been stepped up a bit. Still sounds like we're in the contain stage as opposed to the delay stage which apparently we were entering last week. Also advised for household isolation so if someone in your household has it then to isolate with them for 14 days.

Johnson says now if we have symptoms we should stay at home for 14 days (isn't this what we should have been doing anyway, self-isolation?) Advising people to work from home where possible, avoid non-essential travel and pubs/clubs/theatres etc.