Along with Britain’s woeful lack of preparation for a pandemic, an inquiry must address why being poor kills
How could a public inquiry help us prepare for the next pandemic? The mistakes made during the UK’s Covid crisis – from a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and social care workers, to an inadequate test, trace and isolate system – have been well documented. It is crucial that an inquiry into the UK’s Covid crisis goes beyond listing these problems and leads to action and meaningful change. For it to have a real impact, there are some longstanding issues that need to be addressed.
The best time to repair the roof, as John F Kennedy said in his 1962 State of the Union address, is “when the sun is shining”. The UK had many opportunities to ensure it was better prepared for the pandemic. Pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases featured in the government’s national risk register long before the arrival of Covid-19. Now is the time for us to fix the roof, so when the next public health crisis arrives there are fewer leaks.
