Yes, minister, you’ve tested positive

Here's the latest news:  Trump orders GM to make ventilators Abbott launches a 5-minute coronavirus test China signals expanded stimulus Our take on the latest developments There are two ways to interpret the news that U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have caught the coronavirus, joining Prince Charles among the ranks of Britain's infected luminaries. First, the positive spin: This could show that the outbreak is less deadly than previously thought. If even the top two politicians managing the U.K.'s response have fallen ill, the virus has surely spread more widely than the country's confirmed tally of almost 15,000 cases. Thousands of other people have the infection but haven't been tested, so the mortality rate may be considerably lower than official figures suggest. Most of those who catch it will just have the mild symptoms Johnson and Hancock disclosed in folksy videos from self-isolation. Boris Johnson Source: Twitter Now the more worrying take: The pandemic is out of control and health authorities who can't keep it out of 10 Downing Street don't have a clue how to protect ordinary Britons. Just a few weeks ago, Johnson was insisting that the best defense against the virus was frequent and thorough hand-washing. It was only after warnings that his government's "keep calm and carry on" approach could result in disaster that the prime minister executed a neat 180 and ordered a nationwide lockdown. This mirrors a raging debate in British academic circles over just how deadly the virus actually is. In ordering the biggest clampdown on public life since World War II, the government relied on forecasts from Imperial College London researchers showing that inaction could leave hundreds of thousands dead. Oxford University scientists countered that these projections could be wildly overblown. They suggested as much as half the country's population may already have been infected. In that case, the mortality rate would be far lower and the virus would seem a lot less alarming. Until health officials roll out widespread testing for antibodies to the virus, showing whether people have been exposed, we won't know which camp is right. One thing seems clear, though: Hand-washing alone isn't going to stop this pandemic, as Boris Johnson once hoped.—Eric Pfanner Listen Up   Special Podcast Episode: Understanding Pandemics How can we make sense of the scary reality we are all now living in? Where do pandemics come from? Bloomberg's Jason Gale talks to some of the world's most experienced pandemic experts to get their insights.   Sponsored Content by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association One in five Americans living in rural areas lacks consistent access to the healthcare they need. See how Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are using their local roots to fill the rural health care gap.   What you should read What It's Like on the Frontlines of the Virus Battle A surge of patients pushes the U.S. health system to the breaking point. U.S. Testing Demand Still Outstrips Supply Shortages have led to the rationing of tests in a grim trade-off. Stimulus Bill Opens Access to Retirement Funds Lawmakers have made it easier to tap 401(k)s. Shutdowns Actually Helped Growth in 1918 Measures a century ago resemble steps to slow coronavirus. Banksey Balloon Prints Still Sell Like Hotcakes The art market has been brought to a standstill, with this exception. 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