On the 30th of January 2020, the World Health Organisation declared an international public health emergency. On the 11th of February 2020, China had almost 7000 new cases a day. By the 23rd of February 2020, Italy went from 71 to 566 cases per day, in a week.
By the 5th of March 2020, the UK went from 29 reported cases a day to 206 in a week. For a fatal three weeks before a national lockdown was announced on March 18, cases were climbing. Not just in the hundreds, but occasionally thousands per day. Delay after delay, shortage after shortage, the government failed to provide the essential testing and protective equipment needed for an outbreak scientists predicted to be devastating. Their early responses were confusing, completely uninformed, and shambolic. Their restrictions were lacklustre and had a little to no effect.
While Germany was testing 20,000 people per day, the UK was scraping 2000. Germany’s number of deaths is in the 10,000s. The UK’s number of deaths is above 40,000. Currently the number is rising by 300+ deaths per day. Tomorrow a “four week” lockdown commences. We have been led to believe that this is necessary due to a “small surge” in cases. What the government isn't accepting is the fact that over 20,000 new cases are being detected per day. Yesterday 20,018 new cases were reported. That could be a family member, a friend, or a neighbour. That could be you. The government needs to stop these pathetic, delayed events, and act fast. The lockdown in March could seem like a sprint, compared to the marathon we may be about to endure.
Written by Isa Edwards Buesa
Artwork by Zara Masood
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