UK ‘underprepared for severe pandemic because of planning for no-deal Brexit’
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fforts to enhance the UK’s potential to deal with a extreme pandemic had been paused for the Government to deal with planning for the impacts of a no-deal Brexit, a Cabinet Office official has informed the Covid inquiry.
Katharine Hammond, former director of the civil contingencies secretariat within the Cabinet Office, accepted that nationwide lockdowns, the prolonged closure of faculties and “total economic collapse” weren’t thought-about in planning for a pandemic occasion.
In October 2016, a cross-government train carried out to check the UK’s response to a critical influenza pandemic concluded that it was not ready to “cope with the extreme demands of a severe pandemic”.
Was there any consideration, foresight or planning for whole financial collapse, furlough scheme, for nationwide help financially and for the closing of companies and in impact the economic system?
Ms Hammond agreed that the evaluation “proved to be correct” and informed the inquiry that the programme of labor generated from the train was not accomplished earlier than Covid-19 hit the UK as a result of “elements” of it had been paused to deal with “Operation Yellowhammer”.
“It was the cross-government planning effort for the impacts of a no-deal exit from the European Union,” she defined.
Ms Hammond cited the identical operation as a purpose for interfering with the work of the Pandemic Flu Readiness Board instituted in 2017 and with updating the Revision To Emergency Preparedness steering issued in March 2012, which the witness mentioned was not up to date between then and 2020.
Questioned on the danger evaluation for a pandemic, Ms Hammond conceded that a number of options of the coronavirus pandemic weren’t “anticipated or planned for” – together with that there was no consideration of full nationwide lockdowns.
She mentioned there was dialogue about colleges being closed down however solely on a “temporary” foundation.
Hugo Keith KC, counsel to the inquiry, requested: “Was there any consideration, foresight or planning for total economic collapse, furlough scheme, for national support financially and for the closing of businesses and, in effect, the economy?”
Ms Hammond replied: “All of those things flow from the planning for a lockdown, so the answer follows no.”
The news that the Cabinet Office hadn’t accomplished any preparations for lockdowns previous to the pandemic is completely horrific for households like mine
She additionally admitted that threat assessments didn’t establish the necessity for private protecting gear over such an extended time frame and in such massive portions and that mass contact tracing, an absence of “antiviral” for coronavirus and the dearth of a vaccine was not anticipated or deliberate for.
Rivka Gottlieb, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, mentioned: “The news that the Cabinet Office hadn’t done any preparations for lockdowns prior to the pandemic is absolutely horrific for families like mine.
“The risk of a pandemic was common knowledge but it’s clear that the Government was caught completely unprepared.”
The inquiry additionally heard that the UK entered the coronavirus pandemic with “depleted” public providers and widening well being inequalities.
A report ready collectively by professors Sir Michael Marmot, an skilled in epidemiology and director of the University College London Institute of Health Equity, and Clare Bambra, an skilled in public well being from Newcastle University, mentioned Government austerity insurance policies impacted the well being of the nation within the lead as much as the pandemic.
The report was filed as a part of the primary week of public hearings within the Covid inquiry, which is exploring the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic.
In quick, the UK entered the pandemic with its public providers depleted, well being enhancements stalled, well being inequalities elevated and well being among the many poorest individuals in a state of decline
The “expert opinion” report highlighted well being inequalities within the UK, together with regional variations in relation to issues comparable to life expectancy and the variety of deaths which will be impacted by the standard of healthcare.
Kate Blackwell KC, counsel to the inquiry, learn from the report, which mentioned Government austerity insurance policies after 2010 had “an adverse effect on health inequalities”.
The report concluded: “It is plausible that adverse trends in the social determinants of health since 2010 led to the worsening health picture in the decade before the onset of the pandemic.
“In short, the UK entered the pandemic with its public services depleted, health improvements stalled, health inequalities increased and health among the poorest people in a state of decline.”
Sir Michael informed the inquiry that social care and public well being spending had gone down earlier than the pandemic, particularly in probably the most disadvantaged elements of the nation.
Citing the Government’s personal information, he mentioned it confirmed that the “greater the deprivation, the greater the need, the greater the need, the greater the reduction in local authority spend in general … That will damage the health of people, other things equal, and will contribute to inequalities in health.”
You’ve received to plan for higher well being and slender well being inequalities, and that may shield you within the pandemic
Sir Michael later mentioned it was his basic view “that if you look at the evidence from previous pandemics, including the current one that we’re considering, that the impact of the pandemic is very much influenced by pre-existing inequalities in society, including inequalities in health.”
He mentioned it was not nearly “whether there was a report somewhere in Government about planning for a pandemic, you’ve got to plan for better health and narrow health inequalities, and that will protect you in the pandemic.”
The inquiry heard that life expectancy was in decline, notably amongst poorer teams, by the point the pandemic hit the UK.
The NHS was additionally below stress, with massive numbers of workers vacancies.
The inquiry additionally heard how Prof Bambra had reviewed experiences and materials from Government and public well being workouts comparable to Winter Willow in 2007, Alice in 2016 and Broad Street in 2018, however none of them included consideration of well being inequalities or how particular teams is likely to be in danger from Covid.