The mainland has had 80,754 confirmed cases and 3,136 deaths since the outbreak began at the end of last year

Been following this thread but haven't really much to add. The government's strategy could prove to be the correct one or it could go very wrong - this kind of situation does not have a maximum realistic downside of 50 people or 100 people dying but conditions a lot worse than that. The incubation period is a real worry, with food poisoning you tend to know if you have it within hours, with this it seems like you can go round potentially infecting a lot of people before you know you have it (and some people who suffer mild symptoms may even then not know they have it).

Crash! What is that sound? It is the sound of stable doors being slammed shut weeks after the horses bolted.

I wrote at the outset of the Italian situation that Austria, France and Switzerland should close their borders, but Dr Pangloss told me I was being "hysterical".

We are being externally isolated by default. However, we are not internally isolating yet. But, there are some nuanced arguments around that topic - closing schools for example could be more damaging than keeping them open - the jury is still out on that one.

This is what taking back control looks like...

Not sure about early on, but probably since early March when their cases started exploding. Some Brexiter commentators keep saying this was because of Schengen, but it has nothing to do with it. The Schengen treaty allows member states to completely close their borders with no notice and for several months.

Apart from Italy, which other countries have isolated themselves?

None!

Foot and mouth was entirely about the animals, if one animal was found to be infected amongst a farmers livestock, their entire stock would have to be destroyed, it was horrendous.

Numerous countries are stopping inbound flights from many countries - and much earlier than we did.

Moldova and Israel to name but two.

When you first said it you were being hysterical.

Just as when you said all cruise ships should be stopped.

Timing is everything.

We're probably around 20 to 30 infections in Berkhamsted. I think the situation in the UK is currently out of control. Lock down measures should be imposed now. If the Italian economy can afford it the UK can. There is no choice if we're to avoid a bloodbath IMHO. 

Yes it is and the timing has allowed the horses to bolt way across the fields.

Austria is today doing what it should have done over a week ago.

Serbia and Denmark (not total, but huge restrictions/stopping of flights from several countries, which is the point here).

but they're not isolated

Because you don't know when it will explode. It could easily have happened in January, here, when the first cases appeared. You just don't know, and by the time you do the germinating seeds were planted about a week ago.

you've been praising Singapore and SK but they didn't close their borders

The Italian economy cannot afford it, but they have no choice unfortunately. The echoes from this event will reverberate for years to come.

The UK is being far too slow on cancelling flights from hotspots - should have been done weeks ago.

Spain looks actually worse than Italy. Italy is still not showing true exponential growth yet but Spain is. Spain will overtake Italy in a couple of weeks.

Hotspots are increasingly irrelevant. You need to close off internal ones too. We officially have 6 cases here. Obviously it's far higher than that. You really are missing the point.