UK’s coronavirus response plan was flawed and failed public expectations, survey finds

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go through Michael HoldenReuters

A video clip from the UK's COVID-19 Inquiry shows former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking to give evidence at the UK's COVID-19 Inquiry in west London on December 6, 2023. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will face tough questioning at a public inquiry on December 6, 2023, about his government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic following fierce criticism from his former aides. Johnson has been accused of indecision and a lack of scientific understanding and is expected to admit he "There is no doubt that mistakes were made" At a two-day barbecue event in London. (Photo: UK Covid-19 Inquiry/AFP) / XGTY / Editorial use only - source required "AFP Photo/UK COVID-19 Survey " - No marketing required- No advertising campaign required- Distributed to customers as a service

In December 2023, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave evidence to the Coronavirus Inquiry.
photo: AFP/UK COVID-19 Survey

Britain failed the British people by being unprepared for the coronavirus pandemic due to serious flaws in its planning and missteps by ministers and scientific experts, a public inquiry concluded in a damning report on Thursday.

The UK has one of the highest Covid death tolls in the world, with more than 230,000 deaths as of December 2023, and the country’s finances are still suffering from the economic consequences.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson In May 2021, the Ministry of Health ordered an investigation, and its first report examined the country’s preparedness for the pandemic and was harshly critical.

“Some of the financial and human costs might have been avoided if the UK had been better prepared and more resilient to the pandemic,” Heather Hallett, a former judge and chair of the inquiry, said in the report.

“The inquiry has no hesitation in concluding that the processes, planning and policies of the civil emergency structures within UK government, local government and the civil service have failed citizens.”

The inquiry found there was a “lack of leadership” and that the government was suffering from “groupthink”. Ministers were not getting a wide enough range of views and were not challenging the advice they did get enough.

The strategy developed in 2011 to deal with such emergencies was flawed and targeted only at one epidemic: influenza.

The report said the strategy, which was all but abandoned during the first encounter with the coronavirus, was outdated, focused on responding to the impact of the pandemic rather than trying to stop its spread and failed to take into account the economic and social impacts.

The report states: “The health secretaries who insisted on the strategy, the experts and officials who advised them to do so, and the governments of the devolved countries who adopted it all share responsibility for failing to review and correct these shortcomings.”

Protesters holding placards "The dead can't hear your apology" Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives evidence about his management of the pandemic during a rally outside the UK COVID-19 Inquiry building in west London on December 6, 2023. "Pain, loss and suffering" On December 6, 2023, Johnson began giving evidence in a public inquiry into the British government's handling of the health crisis, saying the outbreak in the UK was caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As of mid-July 2021, nearly 130,000 people had died from the coronavirus in the UK, one of the highest per capita deaths in the West. According to an unpublished written statement cited by The Times, Johnson seemed ready to insist that the decisions he made ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives. (Photo by Henry Nichols/AFP)

Protesters during the Covid survey in December.
photo: AFP/Henry Nichols

Radical Reform

Hallett made 10 recommendations, saying preparations for civil emergencies should be treated on par with preparations for hostile state threats.

“Fundamental reform is needed. Never again can a disease cause so much death and suffering,” she said in the report’s introduction.

The first module of her inquiry only examines Britain’s preparedness, with subsequent reports set to assess the more politically charged issues of decision-making during the pandemic amid widespread accusations of government incompetence.

Johnson himself was forced to step down in July 2022 due to Partying during the coronavirus lockdown One of the many scandals that led to the end of his premiership. Later, a parliamentary committee The conclusion is that he misled MPs about the party..

Rishi SunakThe man, who served as finance minister during the pandemic and later became prime minister, was also fined for violating lockdown regulations at the time.

“We know that we must learn from past mistakes in order to save lives in the future,” Brenda Doherty, speaking on behalf of the UK COVID-19 Families’ Justice Campaign, said before the report was released.

“Sadly, no one knows the true cost of the government’s failure to prepare as well as we do.”

– Reuters

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