Now that we have testing numbers up to a significant level, I think this becomes a really important question.
Up until now I think many people have been quite dismissive of the numbers of people testing positive. As a trend measure it isn't particularly helpful, given how few people were previously tested. However if after lock down we have 4000 people infected, we need to have a picture of who these people are and how they came to be infected. I am not proposing plague markers on front doors, just some basic anonymised information on geography, employment, contact, age, sex, pre-existing health conditions.
We need to see a picture emerge that will either confirm or dispel some of the anecdotal stories such as;
Young children can not catch/spread the virus?
Asthmatics need to be highly protected (do hospital admissions support this?)
Smokers are/are not more likely to be admitted to hospital with infection?
You can catch the virus from sitting on a toilet seat ?(sorry to be flippant, but how important is 2m distancing outside, what works/doesn't work indoors)
Do otherwise healthy over 70s really need to isolate?
Is it mainly fat old blokes admitted into hospital?
Debate away, but please also add evidence from here or elsewhere in the world, which can inform the discussion. If it descends into another who wants to end isolation more/accusations of people enjoying being furloughed thread - mods please merge it.
Up until now I think many people have been quite dismissive of the numbers of people testing positive. As a trend measure it isn't particularly helpful, given how few people were previously tested. However if after lock down we have 4000 people infected, we need to have a picture of who these people are and how they came to be infected. I am not proposing plague markers on front doors, just some basic anonymised information on geography, employment, contact, age, sex, pre-existing health conditions.
We need to see a picture emerge that will either confirm or dispel some of the anecdotal stories such as;
Young children can not catch/spread the virus?
Asthmatics need to be highly protected (do hospital admissions support this?)
Smokers are/are not more likely to be admitted to hospital with infection?
You can catch the virus from sitting on a toilet seat ?(sorry to be flippant, but how important is 2m distancing outside, what works/doesn't work indoors)
Do otherwise healthy over 70s really need to isolate?
Is it mainly fat old blokes admitted into hospital?
Debate away, but please also add evidence from here or elsewhere in the world, which can inform the discussion. If it descends into another who wants to end isolation more/accusations of people enjoying being furloughed thread - mods please merge it.