According to Sir Chris Wormald, a senior official at the Department of Health, the UK government did not include lockdowns in its plans for handling a pandemic. During his testimony at the Covid Inquiry, Sir Chris stated that the government’s strategy was primarily focused on addressing a flu outbreak and did not account for widespread contact tracing, which is now considered a crucial part of the country’s response to Covid-19. Sir Chris also denied that there was ever a national shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), despite former Prime Minister David Cameron admitting that the government’s emphasis on the threat of an influenza pandemic was a mistake.
In his defense, Cameron argued that austerity measures and reducing the national debt actually made the UK’s economy stronger and better prepared to respond to crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Unions have criticized Cameron’s administration for leaving the National Health Service (NHS) in a vulnerable state. Following his testimony, Cameron faced heckling from protestors outside the Inquiry.
During his questioning by counsel Hugo Keith KC, Sir Chris clarified that contact tracing was not part of the government’s plan for handling a flu pandemic, and lockdowns were not initially anticipated. He also confirmed that the government’s stockpile of influenza PPE was depleted in the early months of the pandemic but denied that there was ever a nationwide shortage of PPE. The government’s strategy was based on the “UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy” from 2011, which Sir Chris acknowledged may have been an incorrect assumption.
Additionally, the inquiry revealed a complex flow chart detailing the government’s chain of command for responding to future pandemics. However, work on updating this plan was delayed due to efforts to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. Cameron admitted that the UK should have been prepared for different types of pandemics, not just influenza.
Overall, Cameron and Sir Chris’s testimonies shed light on the government’s approach to pandemic preparedness and highlighted areas where improvements could have been made. The Covid Inquiry will continue to examine these issues and seek answers to why certain risks were prioritized over others. Despite the devastating impact of Covid-19 in the UK, the country has made progress in managing the virus through vaccination efforts and repeated waves. However, there are still lessons to be learned from the government’s preparedness and response to this unprecedented challenge.
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