Jim Reed, Health Reporter, BBC News
The UK’s pandemic preparation failures and weaknesses are expected to be highlighted in the first report by the Covid inquiry. Baroness Hallett, chairing the public inquiry, will present her findings at lunchtime today. This report, the first of at least nine, will cover the healthcare system’s state, stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the planning that was in place.
During the hearings for this module last year, 69 experts and politicians, including former Prime Minister David Cameron and Health Secretaries Jeremy Hunt and Matt Hancock, provided evidence.
Key Findings and Criticisms
- Flu-based Preparations:
- UK preparations were primarily based on planning for a flu virus, resulting in an over-reliance on vaccines and antivirals ineffective against Covid-19.
- Jeremy Hunt highlighted the need for attention to Asian countries like Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea, which managed earlier coronavirus outbreaks (Sars and Mers) more effectively.
- Exercise Alice:
- The government failed to act on recommendations from Exercise Alice, a 2016 simulation of a major Mers outbreak.
- Impact of Austerity:
- Witnesses criticized austerity measures for leaving the NHS and public health systems under-resourced.
- Prof Dame Sally Davies noted the NHS had fewer doctors, nurses, beds, and ventilators compared to similar countries.
- Prof Sir Michael Marmot stated the UK entered the pandemic with “depleted” public services.
- Brexit’s Role:
- Some Department of Health pandemic planning workstreams were paused or slowed due to prioritizing no-deal Brexit planning.
- Michael Gove argued that Brexit planning increased staffing and inter-departmental cooperation.
- Matt Hancock claimed Brexit work secured medical supply chains and prevented shortages of some intensive-care drugs.
Looking Forward
Prof Adam Kucharski from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine emphasized the importance of preparedness, stating, “We’re going to face more pandemic threats in future. We need to ask, ‘If there’s a pandemic next year, what do we want a good response to look like and what do we need to be putting in place now to ensure that response is feasible?'”
This report marks the beginning of a comprehensive examination of the UK’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, with subsequent reports to delve into political decision-making, vaccine deployment, and the pandemic’s impact on children.