UK's response to COVID-19 may expose significant risks to citizens 

Editor's note: Thom Brooks is the Dean of Durham Law School and a professor of law and government at Durham University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Europe is now the epicenter for the outbreak of COVID-19. With the oldest population second only to Japan, Italy has become especially affected by the virus. Twenty days after the first case was identified, over eight hundred people have died. 

What happened in Italy is spreading across the U.S. and Europe. All have a similar trajectory of a one-third daily rise in cases and an increasing number of deaths. Italy was first to quarantine its citizens closing all bars and restaurants with flights for all but exceptional purposes banned.

This lockdown is spreading as quickly as the virus. Spain has the second most cases in Europe and looks set to quarantine its people. Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway and others are imposing strong lockdown measures. COVID-19 is growing swiftly within the U.S. as well, where several states have closed schools and banned mass gatherings. New York City's famous Broadway will be closed for performances for a month.

The idea behind these measures is to enforce social distancing to prevent the swift spread of infection. What has been lacking is sufficiently swift testing and a concern that getting persons to self-isolate with virus-free family members could put relatives with underlying health conditions at greater risk.

The one big exception is the UK. While other countries were closing schools and taking action, the British government under Prime Minister Boris Johnson has kept them open. Whereas other European countries have postponed or cancelled sporting events, Johnson has permitted these to continue.

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