When will the public inquiry into the British Government’s response to Covid-19 begin?
What has been the impact of decisions by Boris Johnson’s government on the Covid-19 pandemic?
What is the request of health experts to restore Covid-19 restrictions?
A public inquiry into the British Government’s response to Covid-19 was launched a few days ago. The public inquiry into the response by Boris Johnson’s government to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has left 200 thousand people dead, was launched as one of the most extensive investigations in the history of this country.
The Impact of Decisions by Boris Johnson’s Government on Covid-19
A public inquiry into the British Government’s handling of Covid-19 could further erode Boris Johnson’s popularity. Heather Hallett, a retired court of appeal judge and a crossbench peer presiding over the case, announced that government ministers have one year to prepare for the investigation. The first phase of the investigation, which will include decisions on quarantines, maintaining public trust and addressing scientific recommendations, will take place next summer (2023). Although the hearings will begin in late spring next year, Hallett said she plans to complete the investigation before another pandemic occurs to learn from the latest incident. She stated that she will examine the performance and effectiveness of the government’s decisions; an action which is likely to expose the poor performance of current and former government ministers.
Boris Johnson’s Weak Uncle in the Fight Against Covid-19
The public inquiry into the British Government’s response to Covid-19 will be about PM Johnson’s poor performance. The Prime Minister has been repeatedly criticised by the public and the Labour Party for delaying the investigation. Not long ago, it was reported that the UK Government is planning to throw away a large amount of protective clothing, including gowns and face masks (Shields), which it spent millions of pounds buying. According to the report by the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, the UK Government has hired two waste collection companies to carry out the project. They are supposed to empty 15,000 packages per month from warehouses and recycle or incinerate the collected items. This is while the aforementioned report warns about the cost of implementing this project and its effects on the environment. A public inquiry into the British Government’s response to Covid-19 threatens the Conservative Party’s political position.
Cancellation of Restrictions Despite Increased Deaths
The public inquiry comes as Boris Johnson’s lifting of restrictions caused the spread of Covid-19. Meanwhile, reports indicate that more than 1,500 nurses died in the UK during the pandemic. The government cancelled all Covid-19 restrictions in April despite large numbers of deaths per head of population. According to an announcement by the Health Secretary, free Covid-19 tests for the public have been stopped and people with symptoms are only advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others as they recover. It is said that free Covid-19 testing, along with the restrictions caused by the disease, has cost the government as much as 15.7 billion pounds.
Request by Health Experts to Restore Restrictions
British health experts are asking the government to restore at least part of the restrictions and regulations due to increases in the number of people infected with the Covid-19 virus in this country. Alastair McLellan, HSJ editor, warned that the UK’s healthcare system is now being crushed because the nation has been wrongly advised to live with Covid-19. These experts have warned that the government has numbed the people to the dangers of Covid-19 while the pandemic is far from over and a number of restrictions from the past two years, such as the ban on gatherings and forced use of masks, must be applied again.
Rise in Hospitalisations
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently announced that in the first week of this month, 3.5 million Britons, equivalent to one in 20 people, were infected with Covid-19. The number of Covid-19 patients who have been hospitalised is also increasing, with the figure reaching two thousand cases every day. According to the media, the UK Prime Minister’s Office has rejected requests to restore Covid-19 restrictions. In addition to removing all Covid-19 restrictions in April, the government has dismantled the free Covid-19 testing system, which cost about 2 billion pounds per month, and now Covid-19 testing is only free for a number of groups such as healthcare workers, residents of nursing homes, seniors and the disabled.
A 20% Increase in Covid-19 Cases
Official statistics show that the number of people infected with Covid-19 in the UK has increased by nearly 20% within a week, so that one out of every 25 people in England has been infected with the disease. According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), an estimated 2.71 million people were infected with Covid-19 in the week ending June 29-30, which is 18% more than the previous week. According to the Guardian, surveys indicate that the rate of infection with Covid-19 has increased in all UK regions and all age groups. Experts have stated the reason as the prevalence of BA.4 and BA.5 variants since the middle of June. The number of hospitalised patients due to Covid-19 also reached 11,878 within a week, indicating a 33% increase. Health experts have warned that this figure is likely to increase during the month of July due to a significant drop in the level of immunity in the elderly.
According to the latest published statistics, more than 22 million and 883 thousand people in the UK have been infected with Covid-19, of whom over 180 thousand and 700 people have lost their lives. This country currently ranks sixth in terms of infections and death rates in the world. The latest statistical data in the UK shows that the number of Covid-19 patients is increasing rapidly throughout the country and the continuation of this trend has greatly worried government officials about the spread of the fifth wave.