The Uk has entered the early stages of lockdown as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his cabinet have decided to choose suppression tactics over mitigation, as a way to see the country through the Coronavirus pandemic.
Mitigation would involve reducing the rate that COVID-19 is spreading through the population, but not necessarily stopping the virus. This strategy would put less of a strain on the health service sector such as the NHS by just making the infection rat manageable.
Suppression involves stopping the virus its tracks by stopping any further spread of the virus within the population until the virus is fully irradicated.
Suppression requires much stricter measure be implemented that would affect both the economy as well as the population’s social freedoms.
A report from London’s Imperial College explained how such measures, although many may find extreme, would totally be necessary otherwise the country could be looking at 250,000 Coronavirus related deaths, going on to explain how COVID-19 was the worst respiratory pandemic since the Spanish Flu.
The new “epidemic suppression” strategy suggested by Imperial College forecast that the measure take could last as long as 18 months, if not longer.
Although UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hesitant at first to follow other countries in adopting these extreme measures, Imperial Collee has advised that the implementation of such extreme measure are in fact inevitable given the rate at which COVID cases are rising.
As a result, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the government would be taking a tougher stance in their fight against the virus.
He advised the public to stay away from public gatherings by avoiding pubs, theatres, clubs and restaurants whilst advising that people should start working at home to avoid exposure and spreading the disease.
Those in the early stages of the Coronavirus, as well as those experiencing mild symptoms, were asked not to call the NHS 111 helpline until their situation became serious in order for the health sector to focus on those in desperate need of their services.
The elderly over 70 years have already been advised to implement a type of ‘self-isolation’ as they are the most susceptible to the virus, being told to remain indoors whenever possible.
With the UK entering ‘suppression’, it is expected the Prime minister will soon also be announcing the closure of schools any day from now.