I hadn't realised that Spain and Greece have closed all their schools. The family unit is stronger there, so it's probably significantly less disrupting than it'd have been here.

Interesting though that the greek medical officer cited a new study showing that children are efficient asymptomatic carriers of the virus and they transmit it. I don't know which study it is though.

Poland has also now done it, despite few cases and no deaths.

The best and most radical approach is that taken by Moldova however.

There is much dangerous stupidity and ignorance in the world ....

Doesn't surprise me at all. 

Poland has now closed its schools. UK's approach is an outlier. 

Yeah, pretty much. I spoke to my niece in Greece this morning and she was so happy. 

What comes around goes around....

We don’t know what is driving HMG’s approach to this and we don’t know what the CMO’s advice has been. So this softly, softly approach could be effective.

But in the light of Italy, Spain and now Germany, it strikes me as a very high-risk strategy.

Iran have reported 958 new cases and 63 new deaths

Total to 9,000 cases and 354 deaths

Boris Johnson does not have symptoms of coronavirus so there is no need for a test

He was not in close contact with Nadine Dorries at the International Women's Day event

Advice is you have to be within 2 metres of someone to pass it on — suggestion is PM wasn't

— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) March 11, 2020

It's a dilemma re school closures as what about all those NHS staff who have children. They will have to stay at home to look after them and then we have an even bigger problem.

Even though it's now on the BBC News website? 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51829559?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5e68c34ac429ed066b592014%2670%25%20of%20Germany%20could%20get%20virus%20-%20Merkel%262020-03-11T10%3A59%3A22.178Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:1a7e52a0-6a31-4d61-84b4-26cd8227c6e6&pinned_post_asset_id=5e68c34ac429ed066b592014&pinned_post_type=share 

Agreed.

This is what I think too. I just hope they don't rely too much on modelling, but they are also using data from other countries. The handling of experts from successive Tory governments and this government's obsession with political messaging doesn't inspire much confidence though. Last week there was also a lot of confusion on whether the CMO wanted to initiate the next phase.

I hope their strategy works and we only see a small and gradual increase in the number of infections and deaths.

Breaking: Spain report 372 new cases and 11 new deaths

Total now 2,067 with 47 deaths

Well, family groups including elderly relatives is thought to have caused the high mortality rate in northern Italy. No solution is without consequences.

The BBC says *could*, your post said *will*

STOP QUOTING THAT WEBSITE.

What it says is "German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that according to experts, 60-70% of the German population could become infected with the coronavirus."

Which is more or less the same 'worst case' assumption given by the CMO here, which was "up to 80%".  It's an absolute worst case scenario based on epidemiological modelling of a novel virus for which there is no herd immunity.

It's why the focus is on trying to flatten and delay the peak. Treating the serious cases spread over 3-6 months is better than it being compressed into 1-2 months. 

But Spanish Flu had three waves, so it's reasonable to assume that the maximum for any one wave is going to be way below 60-70-80%.

There is no doubt this is far more widespread than is being reported.

My brother returned from Austria 10 days ago and has all the main symptoms. He phoned 111 and they asked if he has been in contact with a known sufferer. His answer at the time was no so they said no need to test.

Today they have shut down après ski in the resort he was at due to cases there.

The people he went with now have the sympoms and 111 still saying no test needed....

What a pity