This content was published on June 13, 2023 – 16:43
(AFP)
A commission investigating the British government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic opened an inquiry in central London on Tuesday (13).
“On behalf of the millions of people who have suffered and continue to suffer in various ways from the consequences of the epidemic”, the commission’s chair, former magistrate Heather Hallett, “promised to carry out a thorough investigation. The people of the Kingdom deserve”.
The coronavirus pandemic, declared in the northern hemisphere spring of 2020, has killed more than 227,000 people in the United Kingdom, one of the highest rates in Europe.
Boris Johnson, prime minister during the pandemic, has been accused of slowness, particularly for not ordering people to be locked up immediately.
Conservative governments before him were accused of weakening the health system with their austerity policies.
The first part of the hearing – which will last six weeks – will determine whether the fight against the pandemic was “properly planned and whether the UK was adequately prepared”, and will involve the participation of dozens of witnesses.
The hearings, which are open to the public, will be webcast and last at least three years.
“No country can be fully prepared [para uma pandemia] But, without a doubt, we may not be sufficiently prepared,” pointed out Hugo Keith, the main lawyer of the commission of inquiry. He mentioned the financing of health structures and the anticipation of the impact that an epidemic could have on education, borders, employment and other sectors.
Relatives of the victims expressed regret that they were not called as witnesses in this first episode.
This Tuesday around twenty people gathered silently, with photographs of dead relatives, at the door of the building where the inquest will be held – in central London.
“How can an inquiry properly assess the decisions made by those responsible without knowing the experiences of our members?” said Barbara Herward of the “Families for Justice for Covid-19” group, which unites relatives of those affected by the coronavirus.
Jane Austen is a writer and contributor covering culture, literature, lifestyle, and society. Her work focuses on thoughtful storytelling, social trends, and the issues shaping everyday life, delivering engaging and accessible content for readers across the United Kingdom.
