I’ll wait to hear Boris’s message tonight. Thoughts since Stay Alert broke:

1) An absolute insult to those of us who’ve already lost family to Covid. An invitation for a second wave probably worse than the first. Open those Nightingales.

2) quite obviously people were already breaking lockdown. Fuelled by the media declaring it to be over but actually that’s no excuse. They knew nothing had been announced, they’d just had enough of what was already the laxest lockdown operation bar Sweden.

3) judging by the accounts of A&E doctors VE Day was used as an excuse by many to get so drunk they were admitted to hospitals after sustaining minor injuries. On a par with New Year’s Eve. And if you thought your conga or tea party was socially distanced you’re a fool.

4) our death toll is the second worst in the world and we’re modifying lockdown. Total lunacy. I feel desperately sorry for doctors and nurses many of whom have taken to Twitter to express their terror. We have lost 200 of them thus far. My god.

5) we lost control of test, track and trace in the first weeks. Simply overwhelmed. It’s too late now. We didn’t even close our borders as passengers poured in & continue to from Covid hotspots. It seeded here very quickly & we just carried on with large events and washed hands.

6) it has been the most enormous and unnecessary tragedy. 55,000 excess deaths linked to Covid thus far, according to the FT. Not the government’s figures which are already appalling.

7) Stay Home. The NHS hasn’t been overwhelmed but it will be. Think it won’t happen to you or it’ll be mild? I know very fit and healthy teens who have been hospitalised. And no they hadn’t been out and about disobeying lockdown. Unlimited “exercise”? More coffins right there.

8) Ultimately it’s pretty obvious that the more you mingle in streets, shops, on public transport, at work, with friends, with strangers, the greater the risk you will contract it. It hangs around in aerosol. It is everywhere. Stay alert? You can’t miss it.

9) The economy matters, of course, but you can’t earn a living if you’re dead. Stay home.