[jfman]

Yes, and our lack of lockdown and airport screening contributed to more points of introduction. Our lack of any meaningful contact tracing mean we probably have no idea the original cases in all the strains in the UK.

We haven't got 10% of the global deaths by pure bad luck as you seem to be portraying. These are lessons that need to be learned soon, or else we will face more restrictions for longer.

You raise an interesting point though about the privacy angle. I wonder if the US, UK and billionaire owned media would have done a better job selling the idea had they understood the economic impact sooner. As it stands a tracing app appears to be part of our way out.

I wonder if the elderly, the furloughed or even just those dying for a pint in a pub before 2021 would have readily conceded had they fully understood the seriousness of the pandemic.