TERRIFYINGLY UNPREPARED

Families of Covid victims accuse political leaders of failing to protect public

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

FAMILIES of Scots coronavirus victims yesterday accused political leaders of failing to prepare for a pandemic at the opening of the UK Covid Inquiry.

More than 17,000 people in Scotland have died from the virus since March 2020 and grieving relatives travelled to London for the first day of the nationwide probe.

Claire Mitchell KC, representing the Scottish families, said: "Today it will be more than three years since the first death from Covid-19 took place in this country.

"Since then more than 250,000 have died either directly or indirectly from Covid-19 as our leaders now stand accused of presiding over a carousel of chaos."

Ms Mitchell said she believes the UK's preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic was diminished by "years of changes to critical establishments and the effects of Brexit".

She added that despite previously held beliefs that the UK was prepared for a pandemic, "it quickly and terrifyingly became clear that we were not". She added: "Once we understood the threat from the disease, the lack of concrete preparedness plans became clear."

Ms Mitchell told the inquiry "those in charge sought to prepare for the wrong pandemic" and that the UK was "woefully under-prepared for the virus".

Inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett began the probe by paying tribute to bereaved family members, saying: "As people arrived at the hearing centre they found a dignified vigil of bereaved family members holding photographs of their loved ones.

"Their grief was obvious to all. It is on their behalf, and on behalf of the millions who suffered and continue to suffer in different ways as a result of the pandemic, that I intend to answer the following three questions: Was the UK properly prepared for a pandemic? Was the response to it appropriate? And can we learn lessons for the future?"