The Government must get serious now about coronavirus quarantine

sir – You report (telegraph.co.uk, February 25) that Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, advises that, in the interests of containing the spread of coronavirus, “people flying home from any areas quarantined by the Italian government should self-isolate”.

You also note in your advice that we should avoid public transport. However, in reality very many people arriving by air get straight on the Underground. The Government has to get serious about testing, restricting travel and quarantining people – or just acknowledge that it will give no more than advice on “containment”.

This in effect means that the virus is likely to be extremely serious or fatal for very large numbers of people. In China, 14 per cent of cases were classed as “severe” and another 5 per cent were “critical”. It hardly needs pointing out that just 1 per cent of our population is over half a million people. The window for decisive action is rapidly closing. Professor Greg Philo

Glasgow University sir – The World Health Organisation must face the facts of a new viral pandemic. The current “isolate and contain” strategy has spectacularly failed in the context of global air and sea travel.

No health service in the world can provide the intensity of care needed for isolation and hospital treatment for severe acute respiratory cases that are spreading throughout a population. Indeed, the first casualties will be among front-line staff, with the collapse in this country of the NHS.

The new strategy must include a ban on all non-essential air and other international travel: tourism must cease. No new respiratory viral (“flu-like”) illnesses should be admitted to hospital. As there is no treatment for these other than bed rest, the greater good demands the protection of front-line staff.

People most at risk – the elderly and those with chronic health conditions – must self-protect by avoiding all gatherings. If fatalities occur among children, schools may have to close.

The crucial factor is the speed of spread. If we can slow it down, we stand a chance. Hence the importance of the above measures. Dr Richard Hurren

Ferndown, Dorset

sir – Together with my son and grandson, I flew from Stansted to Rome Ciampino last Thursday. Upon our arrival in Rome, we went through passport control and then had our temperatures taken by teams of officials, who wore breathing masks. It was done quickly and efficiently with no delays.

We returned from Ciampino to Stanstead on Monday. Passport control on landing was a quick formality, but there were absolutely no health checks on any of the returning passengers, who left Italy in a state of near emergency as the virus appeared to be taking hold.

Our authorities are still too complacent about this epidemic. Allan Muirhead

Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria