Bullish words don’t always sound good out loud

Avirus can spread fast. But panic can spread faster. And when it does, it can be difficult for a government to contain – as Boris Johnson is finding out.

Take the panic buying in supermarkets at the weekend. What likely caused it, at first, was a sense of powerlessness – people not knowing what to do, but feeling they must do something.

And the first thing that came to mind, apparently, was bulk buying pasta and loo roll. It probably made them feel as if they were being proactive. Taking charge. Doing something. So to them, at any rate, their panic buying was calming. The trouble is, panic buying is contagious.

People heard that others were panic buying, and so themselves started panic buying.

Some thought it was a good idea – and others thought it was a bad idea but decided that they now had no choice but to join in before the shelves emptied. But by joining in, of course, they all ensured that the shelves emptied all the faster, thus causing more panic. And more panic buying.

The Prime Minister was asked about this phenomenon yesterday afternoon, at a press conference in 10 Downing Street (his second in a week).

Could he reassure the public that panic buying was unnecessary?

“I think it’s very, very important,” replied Mr Johnson patiently, “that everybody should behave responsibly, and think about others.”

He was doing his best to sound calm, steady, measured. But he looked tired, wary, his eyes baggy. It’s less than three months since he won that landslide. It feels like a lot longer.

Throughout his career, Mr Johnson has always been able to joke his way out of trouble. To rely on his charisma, panache, wit and optimism.

For once, though, the first three of those four qualities were of little use to him. And he had to be careful with the fourth, or it might easily have been taken for complacency.

“If we can continue to look out for one another, and to pull together in a united national effort,” he said, “I have no doubt that we can, and will, rise to the challenge.”

Written down, that declaration looks bullish. Out loud, it didn’t sound it.

A journalist asked the Prime Minister whether he was still shaking people’s hands.

At the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, earlier in the afternoon, he noticeably hadn’t shaken hands with anyone. Mr Johnson’s reply was strangely garbled. Apparently attendees had been “given an instruction” (he didn’t say by whom) not to shake hands.

But then he added that for the wider public it was still “a matter for individual choice”.

Peculiarly, he also said that refusing to shake someone’s hand was a helpful “subliminal cue”, because “it sends an

‘Throughout his career, Mr Johnson has always been able to joke his way out of trouble’

important message to them about the importance of washing your hands”.

Surely anyone who has yet to get the message about washing their hands must be living on the moon. In which case, they’re probably safe.