I am bemused by your book reviewer repeating the claim that “the biggest threat to the UK was a Chinese farmer getting infected by an animal with a novel pathogen before boarding a plane to Britain” (Life & Arts, April 30).

A Chinese farmer getting on a plane to London? Possible. But perhaps some of your frequent-flying readers between China and London could tell us how probable that is.

Who knows, one of these imaginary superspreaders could be flying business or even first class.

Timothy Y Tsu
Kōbe, Japan