Whether this virus was created in a lab or not doesn't alter the fact that when you look at the evidence it is entirely possible - and importantly probable - that it is only a matter of time before a virus does escape from a lab to cause a major incident. 

We should be taking lessons from the devastating consequences of this virus and make sure biotech regulation is massively increased.

Even if there was such a test, its not like China would ever admit to this. Makes perfect sense to blame it on the wet market if it did indeed originate in that lab. We will never know, well unless China becomes a democracy and declassifies some govt files in 50 years. Maybe I might be alive to find out, who knows!

https://www.livescience.com/vaccinia-virus-infection-fingertip.html

This kind of thing has happened before, its only luck that it hasn't resulted in a disaster. Here is an example of someone in the US accidently injecting themselves with a smallpox artifiical variant!

I have been thinking the same thing when looking at the outbreaks in the US.  If you live in the more sparsely populated parts of rural USA then social distancing is almost the norm between occasional trips to the local town.   The Trump-supporting areas, where protests against the restrictions have been encouraged 'from on high', are those areas mostly little affected (so far).    For those people, seeing reports of the crisis in New York, New Orleans and so on most likely has little resonance.

I mean think of the science of making vaccines. That same science can be used to design viruses. I mean artificial manipulation of viral matter is something that has been done for decades. Its actually fairly simple. All a virus is is a bit of DNA inside a protein coat. How difficult is it, exactly, to splice bits of DNA into the virus?

There are so many benevolant uses for this kind of technology too. Viruses that you can design to attack cancer cells, or cure degenerative diseases. But its not like you can separate the benevolant from the malevolant science. And ofc no one is suggesting that, if this virus was from the lab, it even was of malevolant design. I suspect alot of nasty stuff is created that you wouldn't want getting out in persuit of these laudible goals.

I don't disagree in principle but any system that involves human beings will fail; all you can do is reduce the probability.

I'm more concerned about malevolent forces that would like to see a lethal pathogen released.

The saying 'the road to Hell is paved with good intentions' applies here and elsewhere.

Ah, but that was 100% foreseeable and avoidable.

From that article: "Although the lab worker was offered the smallpox vaccine before she started her work with vaccinia, she declined the vaccination". 

Why on earth would you turn down a vaccination and why would her employer not make it mandatory?

It's a world tragedy. This is an opportunity for the world to unite in a synchronised two minutes silence. Start of a process where the world has to unite to put pressure on China to accept responsibility and for heavy compensation to help economies.

Exactly so.

I see parallels with economics and Brexit but we won't go there.... 

The problem is the lack of regulation. There are thousands of private biotech labs in the US alone, never mind places like China. Even if none of them are deliberately trying to create something deadly the potential for inadvertent release of something dangerous is still not only possible - mathematically it's probable.

The consequences of Covid 19 should be a huge wake up call in terms of biotech regulation.

Haha. Could drive tractors across the two bridges, that would stop em! There are a number of Independence councillor's on the Island. Trouble is we come under the wider Castle Point council who are conservative. It's been a bone of contention our Island receives less because of the conservative majority and bias.

Sounds very low so perhaps the "low" counts yesterday were not just due to the weekend. 

Tbh most big accidents are forseeable and avoidable. Chernobyl and Fukishima both come to mind!

If we ever wipe ourselves out, I suspect it will be by accident. Like if there is a nuclear war that makes humanity go extinct, I wouldn't be suprised if its started by accident. After all nuclear wars have nearly been started by accident before!

Prof Hugh Pennington has suggested lift lockdown in the Highlands and Islands. 

That has the potential issue of people from lockdown areas travelling into open areas, but that sort of leaves two options, continuing longer as we are with 1:

1. Very limited acceptable reasons to travel, but little restriction on moving freely around the UK. -or-


2. Less or no limits but restricted travel areas.

HM Govt will be hell bent on not allowing the internal UK borders to be restricted for political reasons, yet evidence from Austria suggests this might be useful for a period and would significantly limit potential for unauthorised tourism from areas still in lockdown.

I disagree, and think the govt will do exactly this.

It makes complete sense, as you say, to flatten demand in space aswell as time. I'd personally go for somewhere like the Isle of Wight though, not the Highlands. The isle of  wight is small, has a natural border and is one of the least effected areas. Ramp testing up and get the entire Island clean.

But the weekend effect has always carried over to Mondays?

Meanwhile in France:

Police struggling to enforce lockdown restrictions in France have repeatedly come under attack in run-down suburbs, with clashes reported in a dozen cities across the country in the past week.

In the latest violence, several hours of clashes erupted in the northern Paris suburb of Villeneuve-la-Garenne in the early hours of Monday after a 28-year-old motorcyclist suffered a leg injury in a collision with an unmarked police car.