> Your country (whatever it is) likely already has more carriers than UK

The UK is pretty high on the charts...

Per capita, it is somewhere in the middle and on par with neighbouring EU countries.

Show me some other country in the world that has the declared objective to infect 60% of its population, please.

I wonder what endgames these other countries are hoping for.

I only see:

1. Eliminate virus entirely. Without a vaccine, almost impossible.

2. Infect 1-1/R of the population, relying on the fact that people who have already had the virus will provide herd immunity.

3. Give a vaccine to 1-1/R of the population.

4. Virus control measures of lockdowns stay in place forever.

As far as I can see, the UK is choosing option 2, while most of the rest of the world seem to be attempting 1, which is probably impossible, therefore will end up doing 4.

5. Limit the spread for a year or two till we have a vaccine.

UK did not declare an objective to get 60% of population get infected. If you have a source for that, please provide a link.

They told 60% will get infected eventually and this is very similar to what Angela Merkel said (she said 70%).

In my opinion your comment is the one offending. They obviously should quarantine every country that has the brilliant objective to make 60% of the population ill.

There’s no objective to make 60% population ill. This is a lie by the media and commenters on HN who read that media instead of original statement by the UK government. Rather, it is the statement of the fact: 60% of population eventually will get infected (unless quarantine stays forever).

Maybe other countries should do travel ban. But the tone of the commenter above (my country, they) is very counterproductive. People of UK are not enemies.