London and the rest of the country was left vulnerable after ministers and officials planned for a massive flu outbreak, rather than the deadly virus which hit with such devastating force.
In a series of scathing findings, the Covid Inquiry’s first report concluded:
⬤ The UK prepared for the “wrong pandemic”.
⬤ There were “fatal strategic flaws” underpinning the assessment of the risks faced by the UK, and how they could be addressed.
⬤ There was a “damaging absence” of focus on measures to deploy against a pandemic, in particular a system that could be “scaled up to test, trace and isolate” Covid carriers.
⬤ The Government’s only pandemic strategy, from 2011, was “outdated and lacked adaptability”. It was “virtually abandoned” when the pandemic hit.
⬤ Institutions and structures responsible for emergency planning were “labyrinthine in their complexity”.
⬤ Emergency planning generally failed to sufficiently consider pre-existing health and societal inequalities and deprivation. Poorer parts of London were particularly hit by the pandemic.
⬤ There was a failure to learn sufficiently from past civil emergency exercises and diesase outbreaks.
Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin July 18, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin July 18, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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