Just been going through the previous thread and now this one. What can I say? Condolences to everyone who is suffering at the moment. My mum is the same age as the Queen and in a care home but not as fit. I'm not sure I will see her again but I’ve accepted that and can deal with it. And thank you again to Brian who built this community all those year ago.

Yes lock down/geographical isolation? is being planned and has been on the cards for more than a few weeks now.

Preparations began a long time ago and have been continuously updated as new ideas/data flow in. There is a problem with law enforcement though. Not enough bods on the street. I’m from a personal experience, hoping that known troublemakers can be interned before they take advantage of openings they know the police will be unable to deal with. But it's internment without trial which would require emergency legislation?

As MM says the army is being moved to certain locations. Not just the army of course. The RN is busy right now with NATO exercise in Channel but who knows what their plans are?

And reservists being called up? I assume from all services.

No pussy footing from me and the fact that they are a horrible regime doesn't detract from their efforts in controlling their epidemic. As I said earlier, they will probably now turn this into a proud moment in their history.

There may be a delay as they try to repatriate their cash from their hidden stashes in tax havens...

I saw a comment a week or so back that said the virus had just given the state the excuse to impose even more control and oversight over it's people.

As I said yesterday, to add insult to injury the Chinese government is now conducting a propaganda war to try to absolve itself of blame for the pandemic. I detest Donald Trump but he is absolutely right to call it the Chinese virus and the typical hypersensitive overreaction by the Chinese government just tells us that nothing will change for the better.

With luck we will emerge from this with the realisation that depending on a deeply unpleasant totalitarian state for so much of our lives has been a badly thought out move. I hope to see manufacturing being repatriated bit by bit; start with the 5G contract.

Does anyone know how many coronavirus tests have been done in Germany? I'm seeing reports that the total is a lot higher than the UK's but can't find any number.

There are a lot of displaced people still. TWO's very own Mo (Hiscock) who used to post here extensively about 10 years ago is still in lockdown in her hotel in Fuerteventura and is supposed to be flying home tomorrow.

As you love to unpick conspiracy theories, Gandalf, here's one to play with. I heard comment that the measures currently being rolled out are pretty much what had been envisaged and prepared for a "Hard Brexit". How about the thought that a covert Hard Brexit strategy is underway under the fortuitous cover of the pandemic, to silence and neutralise all opposition? By the time the outbreak is over we will have "Got Brexit Done"! The Remainers will not even have noticed. Your turn.

Roger

Given the amount of spare capacity governments should be enforcing social distance on flights which are repatriating people. I sincerely hope people aren't being sardine canned onto A320s and B737s.

Do you really believe the UK could have kept this out? 

There is a very valid argument about managing the spread the keep the NHS from being overwhelmed, but British people needed to return to the country and some/many will have carried infection. 

The government could have implemented a strict quarantine & testing regime for the hundreds of thousands of returning British, but that would have been extremely costly to set up and administer, and those returning British people would have ranted and probably tried to sue for the inconvenience. 

Then there is the question of how long we keep the restrictions in place, and the longer term damage to the economy and society that they inflict. 

I'm far from being a fan of this government, but the entire matter and the consequences of every course of action is head-poundingly complex, with scatterings of impacts at every turn. Throwing a tantrum founded in simplistic 'solutions' is incredibly immature.

The fact is, as a globally significant economy with a large flow of people into and out of the country (both British and foreign), we couldn't hope to keep it out. The best we could ever hope for is to minimise the speed of the spread and have vulnerable and elderly people take their own actions, backed by the govt and society, to isolate until this has run its course.

No, I haven't been able to find a number either. France's number of tests always seem to be a week behind in what I can find too.

The problem with Germany is getting central statistics - everything is managed at state level, including numbers. That is why the daily figures for Germany come out in fits and starts as each state provides its figures.

Apparently, the German equivalent of GPs have been provided with testing kits and are now carrying out tests themselves - so decentralised which probably is better in actual terms, but again makes central stats harder to accumulate.

Germany were slow off the mark, but as we know, once the German machine goes into overdrive it is mighty impressive.

Barnier has tested positive for coronavirus

I would like to inform you that I have tested positive for #COVID19. I am doing well and in good spirits. I am following all the necessary instructions, as is my team.

For all those affected already, and for all those currently in isolation, we will get through this together.

— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) March 19, 2020

We are back to proper nation states. Until mass vaccination is available, we will need hard borders to allow our populations to go about their business. The key is hard external borders and softer internal restriction (once it is under control internally, if possible).

Meanwhile, we will have to communicate with our family members in time honoured fashion:

I heard the same, but I haven't seen an official number. Their healthcare system seems to be coping very well so far, it's one of the best in the world anyway and it has the highest number of ICUs per capita in Europe. Were I a vulnerable person here and personal circumstances allowed it, I'd be tempted to use FoM and spend some time in Germany.

Thinking about this, the EU Commission was asked yesterday why it didn't include Brits in the ban of foreigners travelling to the EU (the transition period has no such allowance. The answer was they still see us as one of theirs.

I am not sure though how long this solidarity might last if we become a hotspot.

Just goes to show that the virus does not discriminate. It doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor, strong or weak, in a position of power or an average Joe or what your political views are. It will take you if you're within reach of it.

Sending best wishes to him though. Hope he pulls through. Even as a Brexiter, seeing some of the bile-fuelled crap saying they hope it kills him knocks me sick.

You say that like you are criticising it but that is YOU. 

Sounds like the Conservative backbenchers are laying into Sunak for not doing enough?