They looked at pandemics in 2016. It highlighted the need for PPE but they continued with more or less just in time / running stocks down.
They reason on what to do on the basis that bugs like this will arrive here what ever they do. As soon as China reacted drastically they could have ordered PPE. Low cost really and it would have been used up eventually anyway. Testing could also have been boosted once they knew what was needed.
Rather than carrying on as normal they could have said - go to work where you usually do, shop where ever you usually do and etc but don't travel out of these areas. This might have resulted in pockets of infection. I know the motorways were busy as I used them in this period. Big deal if some needed to use the phone instead or just not go especially considering how things are now.
People who were due to go on holiday were in a strange position. People who have them booked now are as well. My wife had one booked, going on her own. Just being offered vouchers when she wants to cancel. Both of us have one booked in September - not heard a dicky bird yet.
Seems the Germans have used verbal tracking - ask the infected who they may have infected. Ireland reckon they are doing that. 4.9million people. Their figures are here
https://www.gov.ie/en/news/7e0924-latest-updates-on-covid-19-coronavirus/
They have left the 70+ range in limbo. 3months self isolation that has effectively been extended by another month. Around 12 million or so 65+ in the country. Perhaps they think these people sit at home all day. If they just let things loose while the virus is about it's pretty easy to see what will happen. Can only get at 65+ because that age group is traditionally seen as economically inactive. Ever increasing numbers of them have their own pensions not just state. They spend. Retirement age has gone up anyway.
The Asians did one thing to catch infected people late - thermal scanners. It wouldn't have cost much to have them around in airports. They seem to have done anything they could to influence the R value including masks. Maybe the improvement was small but a bit like costs savings things stack up - that's why they ran PPE stock down. One politician seems to think we are cretins. When closing airports were mentioned he said look at Italy and the state they are in - they had shut some flights down. Seems to think we can't see any distinct differences between Italy and the UK. Our lot know though it would have to be all flights. What's happened anyway.
It seems tourism adds £100billion+ to the economy. Lots of people work in areas associated with this - what chance does it have to remain as it was.
Herd immunity - only works if they can be sure of how many are immune. That aspect doesn't seem to be working out well as far as testing is concerned. The basic idea seems to be when it's high R values go down. Well most are immune to the usual flu variants but still spread it. Or maybe it's a well we will have some people left. Flu does kill people in homes etc but it doesn't kill that many out of them.
With a population of 1.3billion China cant even contemplate herd immunity. If we did have pockets of infection the same could have been be done. Maybe not so cleanly but............
The way it has been handled could result in a much harder hit on the economy than crippling it almost immediately. The end result over a short period of time has turned out the same anyway. There seems to be a basic idea that nothing can be done about it right from the start - even before it began.
Rant over but fact I am not keen on defeatists or people that can't contemplate thinking out of the box.
