The government were going to pursue a hair brained 'herd vaccination' strategy, whereby 50m to 60m would be allowed to catch the virus and then we would all be protected.
However, the government's own predictions reckoned that would cost 250,000 lives, if they did nothing.
We wouldn't be looking at 8,000 deaths, this is a new mutation that no one has protection against.
The government had to change tack, but they are still being too indecisive.