Just watched the PM's press conference alongside two medical experts.

The main thing that stood out was that they are expecting the number of cases to replicate the growth seen in Italy, but not the response (ie lockdown).

They said they expect the number of cases to arrive at Italian levels (current Italian levels are approx 2500 new cases per day, hundreds of hospitalisations per day, 200 deaths per day) in around 4 weeks, and they expect the virus to reach its peak in around 3/4 months from now.

I can't help but wonder what that will mean for the NHS. If the Italian health service is struggling so badly that they've had to opt for full lockdown, and the UK is going to be there in 4 weeks but seems to be ruling out lockdown, what is the plan?

Are they going to use these four weeks to go on a shopping spree of hospital beds and respiratory equipment?

Are they ruling out lockdown as a confidence trick, while really fully intending to use it?

Are they just going to plough on as normal, come what may?

They were also insistent and repetitive about the washing of hands, but as far as I know (and admittedly I'm not an expert), transmission is more likely by breathing in the virus rather than catching it from infected surfaces.