Comparing a countries overall population density is a rather crude and meaningless metric.
Friends I have from New Zealand have balked at the stereotype. As though they're all living remotely and tending to their sheep. In reality countries like Iceland, Australia, NZ, etc have the vast majority of their populations living in urban areas.
83.4% in the UK
86.5% in the New Zealand
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbanization_by_country
I would agree that it is crude, but to suggest that it is meaningless is wrong.
If you want an example of a crude and meaningless metric, look no further than the one that you have put up. To talk about ‘urban areas’ without talking about the overall size and population density within those areas is just plain silly. Or are you suggesting that Auckland – population 417k and Christchurch (382k ) are comparable with London (8.98m) and Birmingham (1.08m) and are likely to pose similar disease control questions?
I'd say urban areas in developed countries offer a more meaningful comparison than you're giving credit for.
Shops and offices, and property etc have building codes designed around human capacity. Humans are remarkably consistent. You go into an office in any developed city in the world and you'd probably not see a massive difference in the density. Same with supermarkets, etc.
You may get some bigger differences depending on the nature of the public transportation, and number if people you come into contact with.
Certainly not meaningless though, unlike overall population density. More densely populated cities just tend to build 'up' so that each person can have the space a human needs.
The contact tracing app which is getting trialled on the Isle Of Wight this week seems to be a significant step forward , not a solution but a very good containment model if it succeeds .
The question regarding the relaxation of the lockdown is a very difficult decision to say the least .
Have we got this thing under control ?
No we haven't .
Will there be anything to go back to if this carries on as we stand today ?
I'd suspect its unsustainable for too much longer .
It's one thing for the company I work for to survive but if some of our key suppliers don't then we are massively fecked .
Getting back to normal ?
There won't be a normal just a new normal and its open to debate what that will look like .
There's a lot of people who talk like theyre football professionals.
No problem with that.
I'm not aware that there is a prerequisite of this message board to have and prove professional qualifications to make comment on certain subjects.
Again, why the witch hunt.
Chill out the sun's shining....again