The key lesson of the Covid pandemic was the necessity for the Government to act quickly.
Delays in locking down the UK in early 2020 cost thousands of lives and prevented an earlier exit from restrictions.
Dithering also led to the catastrophe in our care system, which saw the disease rip through thousands of homes.
Any future strain or major issue with coronavirus must then be dealt with swiftly.
So the news that the US is requiring a negative test from arrivals from China is sobering.
China is reporting around 5000 cases a day. But experts believe that the true figure is much higher – with the daily caseload possibly closer to a million.
Hospitals are increasingly overwhelmed and residents are said to be struggling to find basic medicines.
Italy, Japan, Taiwan and India also announced mandatory tests.
It is a sign of how serious the situation has become.
But in the UK where we are still feeling the effects of a botched initial response to Covid, no such move has been made.
It has been left to Tory peer Lord Bethell to make the case for testing on the grounds that it would slow the spread.
The NHS is facing an unprecedented crisis due to understaffing and a massive backlog of operations.
This crisis is felt in A&E departments, the ambulance service and also in GP practices.
Another Covid surge could fatally damage the NHS as it tries to recover.
The Government must consider US-style tests on arrivals from China to protect people and the services that they use.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
