Thinking about it from where I am right now, I don't think it is crazy.
Let's think about it again: China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. They are countries which are very connected to each other; and yet, somehow, they managed to contain it. It's 'herd responsibility'. The people are applying social distancing and hygiene rules, that's why it's working.
It's possible, as a knowledgeable politician, that you recognize that it's impossible to implement such measures in your country. The reasons are beside the technical abilities of your government: Your citizen are not committed enough to the hygiene. And that's not because Asians are cleaner or superior, they have been exposed to these viruses before and thus they are already trained to deal with them.
It's not the same deal for many countries of the west. We didn't have much trouble in the last few decades and thus people have forgotten why we do most of the hygiene measures in the first place.
Also, here is my first reaction, as a citizen, if the government has declared 'herd immunity' as their strategy: STAY AT HOME. I'd also probably warn the closer one and avoid contact with them too.
So the UK might win twice here: Have enough social distancing by fear (and fear is a hell of a thing as you experienced in the last few days); and also have its population adopt strict hygiene and distancing rules making it safer in the future and readier for the next disease.
It's only 'working' while the country is on lockdown, and FYI the country spirals towards economic meltdown.
If they come out of 'lockdown', then 'it stops working'.
See the paradox here?
I really have no clue: maybe we'll develop therapies, a better understanding, maybe a vaccine, but possibly this 'herd immunity' idea at least on some scale. I really don't know.
But coronavirus is not going to disappear in a few weeks, we know that.
> It's only 'working' while the country is on lockdown, and FYI the country spirals towards economic meltdown.
Nope.
> In Taiwan, most residents carry on as normal, with offices and schools open. Many restaurants, gyms, and cafes in the capital, Taipei, are still bustling, although most premises will take temperatures and spray hands with sanitiser before allowing customers in.
That Taiwan has 'less lockdown' doesn't respond to the fact that whatever the degree of 'lockdown' whenever it is removed, the contagion will grow again, and that any level of lockdown will have bad economic repercussions.
That Taiwan is getting away with 'less severe' lockdown is not relevant because:
a) They do have a really long list of measures (more than 120 published by their Gov.) that are unsustainable in the long run and
b) It's a selective example - most other nations need more aggressive.
c) Due to the fragility from 'a' and economic downturn around the world due to 'b' a deep recession is guaranteed in Taiwan.
The point remains: there is currently no rational answer to 'how to end the lockdown' while economies go down.
In Hong Kong, the only lockdown we've been in this entire time is forcing people from certain countries to go into quarantine. In fact, most of our cases recently have all been HK residents coming back to HK from places like London, Paris, Madrid and bringing the virus back with them.
I'd point out that the HK government has done an okay job, but by no means were the people happy with how they handled it. There were protests from the Hospital Authority demanding them to close the border to Mainland China and they outright ignored it.
The main reason why these countries are doing a good job is because of the people. You go outside and everyone has a mask on. Why? To protect each other. Everyone has been working from home from day 1 of this virus and, impressively, the panic buying only lasted a week or so. The people are in it together and I can't imagine the same ever really happening in Europe.
Let's think about it again: China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. They are countries which are very connected to each other; and yet, somehow, they managed to contain it. It's 'herd responsibility'. The people are applying social distancing and hygiene rules, that's why it's working.
It's possible, as a knowledgeable politician, that you recognize that it's impossible to implement such measures in your country. The reasons are beside the technical abilities of your government: Your citizen are not committed enough to the hygiene. And that's not because Asians are cleaner or superior, they have been exposed to these viruses before and thus they are already trained to deal with them.
It's not the same deal for many countries of the west. We didn't have much trouble in the last few decades and thus people have forgotten why we do most of the hygiene measures in the first place.
Also, here is my first reaction, as a citizen, if the government has declared 'herd immunity' as their strategy: STAY AT HOME. I'd also probably warn the closer one and avoid contact with them too.
So the UK might win twice here: Have enough social distancing by fear (and fear is a hell of a thing as you experienced in the last few days); and also have its population adopt strict hygiene and distancing rules making it safer in the future and readier for the next disease.