All the same, it was a sobering moment for the UK. Last week the PM referred to our “apparent success” in fighting Covid-19 – a phrase that jarred with some of you. Ministers don’t have much time to sit around listening to their critics. We must hope they are learning fast how to adapt to this novel threat to our health and economy, and that they are humble enough to benefit from other countries’ experiences.

Is it a mobile pub or a mirage? There’s substantial excitement among some of you at the prospect of a beer van. As prophesied by Coventry i reader Paul Rose, this is a converted ice-cream van serving draught pints over the counter. Paul’s idea has been greeted as humanity’s finest invention in 5,500 years, since Mesopotamian potters created the wheel.

Paul and I concede that there are one or two public health considerations. Nevertheless, pending future approval from the Department of Health, we must quickly agree on the van’s chimes to attract trade.

Eastbourne’s Michael Tweed writes: “My wife suggests that inveterate pub crawlers would appreciate three jingles starting with ‘Roll Out the Barrel’, followed by ‘Let’s Have Another One’, and finally ‘My Old Man (Said Follow the Van)’ … as the drink cart pulls away.”

Helen Dixon of St Neots, Cambridgeshire, insists: “It has to be ‘Beer, Beer, Beer’ by the Clancy Brothers.” Alan Weston of Bishops Stortford proposes The Jungle Book’s “The Beer Necessities” and Andrew Simpson of Bognor Regis suggests “Happy Hour” by The Housemartins. Bottoms up.