UK Covid inquiry reveals pandemic preparedness failures

The UK's response to the coronavirus pandemic was severely flawed due to planning for the wrong type of pandemic, a report by the Covid-19 inquiry has found. The inquiry led by Baroness Heather Hallett, highlighted several critical issues, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

The report revealed that the UK had focused on preparing for an influenza pandemic rather than a coronavirus, failing to learn from the experiences of other countries. This "groupthink" strategy was deemed outdated and ineffective when Covid-19 struck in late 2019.

Preparations for a no-deal Brexit diverted attention and resources from potential public health crises. Civil servants were forced to prioritise Brexit contingency plans over pandemic preparedness. The report criticised former Health secretaries Matt Hancock and Jeremy Hunt for insufficient preparation. It noted that from 2018 to 2019, the main body responsible for pandemic preparedness ceased to meet under Hancock's watch, and he did not attend key meetings.

Emergency planning structures were described as overly complex and ineffective. The report also found that ministers did not receive or challenge a broad enough range of scientific advice. The UK's lack of readiness for a catastrophic emergency resulted in significant financial, economic, and human costs.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the report confirmed that the UK was under-prepared for Covid-19, and called for lessons to be learned to ensure the safety and security of the country.