The U.K.’s contrarian approach to coronavirus

Here's the latest news: Cases top 167,000 worldwide, as deaths exceed 6,400 Stock futures fell despite a rare Sunday rate cut by the Fed. China's economy has been pushed into a historic slump. Our take on the latest developments As the coronavirus spreads through Europe, prompting lockdowns across the continent, thousands of music fans converged on Cardiff, Wales, over the weekend for a concert by the rock band Stereophonics. As in other spheres -- think Brexit -- the U.K. has taken a contrarian approach to the crisis. As countries like Italy, Spain and France shut schools, close all but essential businesses and ban public gatherings, Britain has held out. Government officials last week maintained that halting large events is unlikely to stop the spread of the virus and questioned the wisdom of a complete lockdown, saying that infections could surge again once it ends. In the meantime, public acceptance for drastic measures might wear thin. The government's chief scientific adviser sparked a debate when he said that exposing a large percentage of the population to the virus could allow people to develop immunity, protecting all of Britain against a second wave of the infection. The concept of achieving "herd immunity" drew criticism from some health experts, with Harvard disease specialist William Hanage writing that he assumed the reports were satire. Under pressure, the government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson is now stepping up its efforts as Europe becomes the focal point of the pandemic. Health Secretary Matt Hancock over the weekend issued a "call to arms" to manufacturers to build ventilators and other equipment for the already stretched National Health Service. Plans are being drawn up to curtail activities and ask people over the age of 70 to stay home, potentially for months, while ministers will introduce proposed emergency laws including powers to ban gatherings, he said. So the U.K.'s response may soon resemble that of other nations from Scandinavia to the Balkans as the death toll mounts. Still, the different approaches highlight how much is still unknown about the virus and the difficulties of balancing health, economic and social interest while raising questions about how much economic pain and disruption societies will accept to protect vulnerable populations.--James Paton Track the virus Mapping the Outbreak Around the World The rest of the world now has more total cases than China. See the latest counts globally, and track Covid-19's spread in the U.S. What you should read Virus Relief Risks Being Slowed by GOP Senators Complaints from a few lawmakers and technical snags could delay action. More Fevers, Coughs Spotted, But It's Not the Flu Lacking widespread coronavirus testing, academics parse data. From Businesses to Bars, Closures Mark Big Shutdown Wide swaths of the American economy have entered suspended animation. Close the Markets? Maybe Any attempt to put a price on stocks now is guesswork, John Authers says. No Sports, No Pasta, No Bread. But There's Wine. A liquor-store manager says that his staff can't deliver fast enough. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022