To think we should be following Japan’s example

I think many of the south eastern Asian countries have handled this pandemic far better than we have in the west. Some countries, such as Vietnam and S. Korea, Taiwan also have very low death rates, may have been on constant alert over the past few years given their proximity to the main source of similar viruses, China, and therefore far better prepared than we were. The Japanese, are very disciplined and like many of their south east Asian counterparts are not given to flouting government directives. I believe I read around the time of nuclear power plant disaster, looting which could have occurred, didn't, because there is a strong sense of honour and doing the right thing.

I agree that we should be looking to nations who have a greater level of success in handling the pandemic and trying to emulate them, but I still think there is a great difference in the way the general public behave in such places and the way we behave here in the west, in that they are prepared to co-operate with their respective governments and do what has to be done for the greater good.

Cultural differences I think in the willingness of the general public to follow guidelines?
Agree though with border closure thing that’s been ridiculous here.

Yes the cultural differences are key I think too Lucca these are countries where their people are conditioned to obey the law. In the case of Japan there is a respect for others as well as personal discipline.

I have often wondered if Boris & Co have looked at other countries methods of dealing with Covid-19.
Sweden has had deaths from the virus but not alarmingly so and they have never had a lockdown or worn masks. Life is pretty much as it was before all this started. I agree with Luca that for anything to work effectively we all need to be on board and give it our best shot. Unfortunately, England has too many people who won't comply and have no thought for anyone but themselves.

I agree wholeheartedly with Japan----but it would never happen here because people are too selfish. Sorry folks but that's the way it is. I have every respect for the Japanese.

Japan and Newzealand are islands , so easier to close the borders ?
Oh Wait !....... the British ISLES ??.

Sarnia. When you compare Sweden with like countries i.e other Scandinavian countries they are doing really badly.
Last week when most Skandi countries had deaths of around 7 per 100,000 Sweden had 50 something per 100,000.
While the U.K. had even more than the USA, both in the 700’s per 100,000.
There are lots of misconceptions about the stats. It is eye opening to read the actual figures.

I agree. When covid first arrived I thought we'd be ok as we're an island and would just close our borders.

How wrong could I be!

I agree with the cultural differences although I believe Australia has closed its borders but I’m not certain.
The biggest problem seems to be stopping people socialising.

Anyone entering Australia has to go into quarantine in a hotel with guards for 14 days, Rosalyn, at their own expense.

Having been COVID free for, I believe, a week, Australia now has another outbreak caught by one of the guards who has passed it on to family in S Australia.
Anyone travelling interstate is compulsorily tested and not allowed out of the airport unless they are COVID-free.
I think the queues are quite long!

Pammie1, there's a flaw in your proposal. Whatever our pathetic government does next (however inadequate) the British public are nothing like the Japanese!

We tend to be individualistic, not community minded, non-compliant with orders from above, rebellious even - so, generally, wouldn't agree with or follow any rules restricting us. I don't speak of myself (I've been ultra cautious) but of the 'average' UK folk.

It’s too late now to learn from other countries ( even if we could have, which I think is a far from simple given) . I just see us limping along - in and out of tiers/lockdowns etc until hopefully enough people are vaccinated ( and that’s also far from a given) . If one more politician speaks hopefully of Christmas, I’ll scream.

Sweden changed their rules yesterday to something more stringent.

In Spain in the summer you had to have a piece of paper explaining the purpose of your trip out? Sounded like a good idea.

NZ has always been careful about what comes into the country (food, plants etc) so taking that one stage further didn't sound like too big a stretch. According to yesterday's GMB interview, we let 20m people from anywhere in with little/no checking as they came in or when they were isolating.

We didn't check up on anything. Is SERCO checking that people are staying in now when in alleged isolation? If they're bring checked up on, UK folk will do what they're told.

NZ has always been careful about what comes into the country (food, plants etc)
Australia too. You can't take some fruit or plants over State borders. When we had foot and mouth here we were quizzed before entering Australia and DH's walking boots were taken away and scrubbed with disinfectant although they weren't dirty.

Chardy, my son won't visit from NZ this year. I'm glad as he's safer there. Upon returning, he'd have to do quarantine (real quarantine, not our silly, often ignored 'isolation').

That involves two weeks in a hotel room, no leaving the building, at his own expense - proper quarantine. They are so sensible, over there!

Imagine telling the people of this country to do as they're told ? No chance !

There has remained to be protests and illegal gatherings, even in Liverpool where they're trying their best to keep the infection down.
Protests about freedom ? These are times when democracy is a danger so why can't these militant idiots give it a rest for the sake of their fellow men ? What's in their brains that tells them they have to cause mayhem ?

It'll serve them all right if the lot of them are heavily fined----or catch the virus itself ! I've no sympathy and my patience has run out on those who flout laws.

We are paying a high price for 'there is no such thing as community'. Very sad. No idea whether the penny will eventually drop that the best for everyone is to work together.

What will happen then when Japan finally opens its borders?

They acted quickly which presumably means a very small percentage of the population has been exposed to the virus so very few people will have built up immunity.

Yes we have had brilliant news with the results so far of two vaccine trials performing better than they dared hope, but just supposing trial after trial had failed ? How long would they keep the population incarcerated?

In Japan they routinely wear masks when they have colds to not spread their germs. Just a different way of thinking.

My daughter lives in Hong Kong and from the beginning of the virus everyone there obeyed the rules of wearing masks socially distancing and they had a lockdown. Now they close schools because children are getting colds. The number of Covid cases are low and the death rate is very low. There’s a lot of ignorance in the UK where people just don’t want to curb their social life. I can’t go to HK because lm not a resident and everyone that enters HK has to go into two weeks isolating at designated hotels. We are far too slack here.

Heard on the radio news yesterday that Germany has had 12,000 covid deaths and we are over 50,000 and still rising!

Yes, Suze56 but I noticed that No.10 has been saying (repeatedly) that “COVID is rising in Germany”, ?

I believe the way the Australian Government handled this situation has been excellent. Obviously there were problems in the beginning, but to be fair no one has ever had to deal with this type of pandemic on such a scale before (in our time frame). Borders were closed and anyone coming in had to quarantine for 14 days in an isolation hotel. I couldn't travel from one state to another unless I had an exemption pass - which were extremely difficult to obtain. Shopping centres had sanitisation stations at their entrances. Nearly all the individual shops also had sanitisation stations and customers were countered in and out. For a while pubs and cafes etc were closed. They have gradually re-opened, but there is no wandering around, you have to remain seated and give your name and contact details as you enter. There have obviously been problems but the contact tracing has worked very well. No system would be perfect as we're all human! At long last next weekend I will be travelling interstate to see three of my adult children, partners and grandchildren. Not seen since February. I firmly believe the strict measures taken at the beginning have helped enormously. I fear for my older brother and s-i-l who are in the UK. apologies this was so long.