UK unprepared for COVID-19, focused on flu outbreak, inquiry hears

The UK’s official COVID-19 inquiry has been informed that the nation was unprepared for the pandemic, as it had focused on the possibility of an influenza outbreak rather than a coronavirus. Lead counsel to the inquiry, Hugo Keith KC, stated that this lack of foresight led to the country being “taken by surprise” by the virus, which has resulted in over 226,000 deaths in the UK. The inquiry will examine the UK’s level of preparedness and the government’s response to the pandemic.

Keith told the inquiry that the UK had not “adequately foreseen and prepared for the need for mass testing in the event of a non-influenza pandemic”. He questioned whether enough attention had been given to other, potentially more deadly, risks. Representatives for COVID Bereaved Families for Justice from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland echoed these concerns, with Claire Mitchell KC stating that the UK “prepared for the wrong pandemic”.

The inquiry will also consider whether work surrounding a possible no-deal Brexit may have diverted resources and capacity away from pandemic planning. Neasa Murnaghan, speaking on behalf of the Department of Health Northern Ireland, suggested that no-deal preparations may have actually been advantageous for her country’s planning, despite diverting some focus away from pandemic preparedness.

The COVID-19 inquiry, chaired by Baroness Hallett, is split into several modules, with interim reports being produced at the end of each one. The first module will focus on the UK’s preparedness for the pandemic.