EAST Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has offered reassurances the government recognises peoples concersn and fears about the coronavirus pandemic and is doing all it can to limit the damage.
In a statement to the Petersfield Post, he said: "The magnitude of coronavirus, or Covid-19, is difficult fully to take in.
"We are worried of course for loved ones, and for our neighbours.
"And we know the indirect toll that can come from isolation, and that there are consequences, too, for businesses, jobs, and futures.
"But in the National Health Service we have one of the finest public healthcare systems in the world.
"In circumstances like these, a truly national service is all the more valuable.
"Although no health service anywhere has the ready capacity needed in a pandemic, our NHS is scaling up and re-prioritising at speed.
"And we have a great wealth of expert knowledge in researchers, academics, scientists.
"At the apex point is the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser.
"And we are one of the few countries to have a body of the calibre of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) to give the best technical advice to support government decision makers in emergencies.
"There is much planning to be leant on in these difficult times. "Although every virus is different, the UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy, in place since 2011, helps inform the current response.
"The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 sets out responsibilities for government, councils, public and private sector in emergencies.
"Regarding CORVID 19 we are now into the ‘delay’ phase,to delay the virus’s spread and reduce its effects.
"The approach is to seek to ‘squash the peak’and to enable the healthcare response to be most effective, and give better care to those for whom this disease has more chance of being fatal.
"We live in a democracy and it is right that there is scrutiny of what government does, and debate of the approach.
"It is fair and reasonable to debate the reasons for our approach relative to other countries.’
"But it is far too early to say that any one country has had particular success against this virus.
"The UK is acting on the advice of our scientific experts and our NHS.
Another advantage of the NHS is a central communications channel.
"For everything you need to know, please go to www.nhs.uk and click on ‘coronavirus.’
"There you will find all the guidance, and the NHS 111 Online Coronavirus Service.
"For everything else, please go to www.gov.uk.
"You will find travel guidance, information for schools and businesses, and much more.
"At times like these of course people want to share information they believe will be helpful, but we need to be wary of things that may come into our Facebook and WhatsApp groups, even though passed on in good faith.
"Please do stick to the reliable, verifiable official sources.
"In this deepened phase that we are now coming in to, we must face up to the prospect of more people being in isolation, some for an extended period of time.
"It is really important that we support people within our communities who find themselves unable to shop for food and other goods or need support in other ways.
"Many of those who habitually volunteer locally are of course themselves older.
"We’re already seeing a great wave of civic response to this need, including many informal offers of help to neighbours and friends, and this network of community support is going to become very important in the weeks ahead.
"Some of it will require co-ordination through the council, and Hampshire’s Local Resilience Forum, already working with partners such as Community First, Age Concern and the Red Cross to share information and resources on how best to help people in need."