London: A public inquiry into Britain’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is set to release its inaugural findings on Thursday, focusing primarily on the nation’s level of preparedness for such a crisis.
By December 2023, Britain had registered over 230,000 COVID-related deaths, ranking among the highest globally.
The inquiry was initiated by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in May 2021 and officially launched the following year under the leadership of former judge Heather Hallett.
Early evidence presented to the inquiry indicated significant gaps in governmental preparedness and a failure to foresee necessary measures to safeguard vulnerable populations.
These revelations echoed earlier findings by the government’s spending watchdog in 2021, which criticized the government for its lack of readiness, failure to learn from simulations, and distractions stemming from Brexit.
Brenda Doherty, speaking on behalf of the advocacy group COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, emphasized the critical need for learning from past mistakes to prevent future loss of life.
The inquiry’s initial phase focused exclusively on Britain’s preparedness, with subsequent reports slated to delve into politically sensitive topics such as governance and decision-making during the pandemic, against a backdrop of widespread criticism of governmental mismanagement.
Boris Johnson, who instigated the inquiry, resigned from office in July 2022 amidst scandals, including revelations of parties held during COVID lockdowns. A parliamentary committee later concluded that he had misled lawmakers regarding these events.
Rishi Sunak, who succeeded Johnson as prime minister and served as finance minister during the pandemic, was also fined for breaching lockdown regulations.