Public need to see an exit strategy to get out of Corona virus pandemic

The Corona virus emergency has dramatically changed everybody’s life in the UK over recent weeks.

The government has ramped up its response to the crisis. First, it seemed set to let the virus infect the population, with a view to developing herd immunity, as more people got over the disease.

This idea was rejected, as evidence from around the world made it obvious that Corona spreads so quickly that it overwhelms normal health systems.

 There were warnings from the Prime Minister to keep a distance and self isolate, if any one had symptoms. Pubs, restaurants and places of entertainment were then shut down, as it became clear that people were not abiding by the distancing rules and such places would be prime areas for transmission of the disease. Then came the lockdown on 23 March, confining people to their houses, except for key work, shopping and medicine collection and exercise.

People have largely complied with these demands. There has been much made in the media about the few who have not, treating the population rather like a bunch of errant school children, continually needing to be lectured by teacher. However, the vast majority have complied.

The lockdown though is not an answer to the pandemic, it is merely a holding strategy, allowing the NHS staff to get on top of the problem – reducing the numbers coming to the hospitals to manageable levels.

There have been problems, with getting the protective equipment to the front line of the health crisis. This needs resolution. NHS staff are doing a fantastic job on behalf of us all, the least that can be expected is that they have the right protective equipment to do the job and save their own lives.

A further key part of the strategy to overcome Corona is testing. The UK has tested but at nothing like the levels of Germany, which has many cases but lower death rates. Health secretary Matt Hancock committed to 100,000 tests a day by the end of this month. This shows the sort of prioritisation required because without mass testing, there will be no overall picture of who has got over the virus, who has had it and who has never had it.

It is one of the anomalies of the situation in the UK that the authorities do not seem able to provide any sort of statistics as to who has got over the disease. Other countries from Iran to the US have been able to provide some numbers.

Testing is so key because it can tell everyone what is going on. There is no point in having people who have had Corona and recovered sitting at home under lockdown, when they could be out helping others or getting back to work. Equally, those who haven’t had the disease need to be protected.

So these tests need to happen and quickly. The lockdown may be helping clinicians to get on top of the pandemic but it is not a cost free exercise. We do not want to replace a Corona virus pandemic with a mental health catastrophe.

There have been dramatic rises already in the levels of domestic abuse going on. Other abuse also seems likely. So just locking people down is something that can only be sustained for a relatively short period. It also has to be done by consent. It is all very well, continually frightening people with the consequences of mixing and spreading the virus but this approach adds to anxieties and mental health concerns – especially with the old, isolated and vulnerable.

The great thing about the public response to the pandemic has been how it has brought people together in communities to help each other out. The myriad support groups across the country, right across the generations. There is a monumental effort going on to protect life and overcome virus but people also need to be sure that the strategy is working. This will only happen, with a properly outlined exit strategy of which mass testing has to be a key part.

Just so long as people are convinced that we are on the right path that will bring the country out of this disaster all will continue to pull together. This can be done but only with mass testing and proper protection of those key workers playing such a key role in bringing us through the crisis.