Time to talk straight on coronavirus crisis

CONFRONTING the most serious public health scare for a generation, ministers must walk a delicate tightrope.

Do they plough ahead full tilt to prepare the country for a major outbreak of killer coronavirus, potentially fuelling panic?

Or do they, working with health officials, co- ordinate the response to the virulent disease quietly behind the scenes – and risk furious accusations of complacency?

History lessons can help. With the wisdom of hindsight, Labour massively – and ineptly – overreacted to the swine flu crisis of 2009, apocalyptically predicting vast numbers of deaths. In the end, it was less deadly than normal winter flu.

So a sense of proportion, tempered with caution, is wholly preferable. Still, it’s hard to escape the uneasy suspicion the Government has been fumbling in the dark.

Yes, only 13 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Britain. The disease has not, for now, exploded out of control. But how quickly could this change?

Yesterday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced a new public information drive, urging people to wash their hands regularly. Why, though, was this simple advice not disseminated sooner?

Those displaying symptoms will be hometested by nurses, instead of at hospital where they could infect others. But how will the NHS, already short of staff, do this?

Will schools shut if a pupil catches the virus? Will trains and buses cease to run if the disease spreads?

Our economy is already beginning to suffer. Of course, unnecessary alarm would inflict more damage. To counter that, ministers must convince the public they’ve got a grip on the emergency. Leadership and clear, sensible communication are essential. The British public are extraordinarily resilient. Ministers should treat them accordingly.