Steven Broomhead is chief executive of Warrington Borough Council.

He says the reaction to coronavirus should be proporionate and calls for people to stay calm

I have on a coffee table at home a little book “Sod calm and get Panicking”.

This seems to be totally appropriate in relation to the nation’s response to COVID 19.

Although the evidence remains of a low health risk, the exception seems to be 'seniors' with pre-existing medical conditions.

It was saddening to hear of the first virus related death this week. Of course there is a need to take practical precautions to slow the spread of the virus.

The reaction particularly driven by the media is to create a knee jerk societal panic. The actual response should be proportionate actions to the evidence of the risk.

We have “social distancing”, “social isolation”, empty shelves, stock market tumbles in an already uncertain economy, facemask and hand sanitiser shortages and profiting, online frauds, talk of lengthy school closures, the threat of the cancellation of large public events, the police and council on civil contingency standby, delays in the premiere of the new James Bond film are just some of the reactions to what medical experts globally agree is a low level health risk.

Warrington Guardian:

I have lost count of how many people have said to me this week that “the world has gone bonkers”.

Regrettably an average of 600 people a year die from seasonal flu in the UK.

In a bad year, this could increase to 10,000. Covid 19 is a similar infection, for which as yet, there is no vaccine – however, it’s not the black plague.

Pandemic infections come and go but pandemic panic actually causes more social harm to lifestyle and the economy and puts enormous overload on an already pressured NHS.

So, it’s time to keep calm and carry on washing your hands regularly and sing “Oh Warri, Warri, Warri, Warri, Warri, Warri, Warrington” twice.

Take precautions but please don’t panic.