The Covid-19 inquiry in the UK has begun hearing evidence on how well the country was prepared for the pandemic before January 2020.
The lead lawyer for the inquiry, Hugo Keith KC, said that the potential impact of lockdowns on society was not considered before the pandemic and that there was a failure to think through the consequences for education and the economy.
The inquiry is looking into three main questions: whether the UK was properly prepared for a pandemic, whether the response to it was appropriate, and whether lessons can be learned for the future.
The first part of the inquiry will hear from key politicians, civil servants, scientists, unions, health and care organizations, and more.
However, some critics have expressed concerns that the inquiry's timetable is too long and that the process for sharing experiences through the Every Story Matters project may be biased.
The UK Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has launched an inquiry into the UK government's handling of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The inquiry will examine the government's preparation and response to the pandemic, including its planning and preparedness, the impact of the pandemic on various groups, and the response to the pandemic in different parts of the UK.
The inquiry will also consider the political environment leading up to the pandemic, including the impact of Brexit on emergency planning and whether the collapse of the power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland damaged the ability of authorities to plan and respond to the pandemic.
The inquiry will be chaired by Damian Collins, who is leading the investigation into fake news and social media.
The UK's Office for National Statistics has analyzed data on the
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and found that, as of July 2021, the UK is in the middle of the pack in terms of the number of deaths caused by the virus.
According to the Department of Health, 227,321 people in the UK have died from
COVID-19 while it was listed on their death certificate.
However, the introduction of
Covid vaccines has prevented many deaths and serious illnesses, with over 151 million doses administered in the UK so far.