World Class?

A preliminary cross-party parliamentary enquiry report, labels the UK's pandemic response as one of the country's "worst ever public health failures". In the UK, the pandemic had devastating effects on both public health and the economy. Indeed, the UK's health and economic outcomes, were much worse than those seen in many comparable countries. This was, in spite of their having had early warnings (from Italy and Spain) and being made aware of strategies seeming to work elsewhere (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/oct/12/covid-response-one-of-uks-worst-ever-public-health-failures). The report is critical of both ministers and their scientists. It is clear that the early handling of the pandemic was botched. There was initially a mistaken belief that the 'problem' could be solved by 'herd immunity', developing in the population as a result of widespread infections. Early lockdown was not considered, possibly because it was not believed that the British people would stick to the needed rules for extended periods. Lockdown was only brought in, when the health services appeared to be on the point of being overwhelmed. Vulnerable people in care homes were further endangered by 'decanting' untested people from the hospital beds into these institutions. The expensive test and trace system was clearly a fiasco. The system was never really properly put into place. The report suggests that a combination of these actions/inactions, led to many unneccessary deaths. The only part of the UK response that received praise in the report, was the development and roll-out of vaccines. Vaccination success appears to have absolved ministers and scientists for their earlier substantial failings. I hate the phrase 'lessons being learned'. There will, however, have been no learning if the experience doesn't change future responses to pandemics.