Lockdown Could Have Been Avoided - Key Findings From Covid Inquiry

The long-awaited independent study into really good aliases severely nan authorities handled nan Covid pandemic has been published.

Chairwoman of nan inquiry, erstwhile judge Baroness Hallett, said nan UK's consequence could beryllium summarised arsenic "too little, excessively late".

The study looks astatine whether lockdowns were timely and reasonable, and what effect rule-breaking astatine nan bosom of authorities had connected nationalist confidence.

Here are immoderate of nan main findings. We're still reference done nan 800-page archive and will support updating this page.

Lockdown could person been avoided if steps specified arsenic societal distancing and isolating those pinch symptoms on pinch members of their family had been introduced earlier than mid-March 2020, nan study says.

But by nan clip ministers took action it was already excessively precocious and a lockdown was inevitable.

Voluntary measures were brought successful connected 16 March 2020, followed by nan afloat stay-at location lockdown 7 days later.

An contiguous lockdown connected 16 March would person meant 23,000 less deaths successful England successful nan first wave, modelling suggests.

Children were not prioritised enough, pinch ministers failing to see decently nan consequences of schoolhouse closures, nan study says.

It says lockdowns near "lasting scars" connected society, bringing mean puerility to a halt, delaying curen of non-Covid wellness conditions and worsening inequalities.

None of nan UK's 4 nations were adequately prepared for nan abrupt and tremendous task of educating astir children successful their homes, nan enquiry adds.

The study says that rule-breaking by politicians and their advisers undermined nationalist assurance successful decision-making and importantly accrued nan consequence that group wouldn't instrumentality to nan measures being put successful place.

It lists events specified arsenic Dominic Cummings' travel to Durham and Barnard Castle successful March 2020; 2 visits to a 2nd location during lockdown by nan main aesculapian serviceman for Scotland, Dr Catherine Calderwood; and visits to nan location of technological advisor Prof Neil Ferguson by a female pinch whom he was successful narration during lockdown.

By nan clip specifications of parties and societal events successful Downing Street emerged successful November 2021, location was a "public outcry", nan study says.

Johnson and Sunak subsequently received fixed punishment notices for their actions.

All 4 nations were criticised for their readying and decision-making, which nan enquiry says was hampered by nan deficiency of spot betwixt Boris Johnson and nan first ministers

The enquiry recovered that astatine nan commencement of 2020, while each 4 nations lacked urgency successful their response, nan devolved administrations were overly reliant connected nan UK authorities to lead nan response.

The 4 nations past differed successful their strategy for exiting nan first nationalist lockdown, pinch Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland adopting a much cautious attack – but this was undermined by nary restrictions connected recreation from England, wherever galore restrictions had been eased.

The study finds that successful Autumn 2020, Holyrood was nan only authorities to study lessons from nan first lockdown, and introduced tough, locally-targeted measures which helped debar nan request for a nationwide lockdown.

On nan different hand, determination making successful Northern Ireland was described arsenic "chaotic", while nan Welsh government's attack resulted successful nan highest age-standardised mortality complaint of nan 4 nations betwixt August and December 2020.

The study gives a agelong database of recommendations, including:

• To found structures to amended connection betwixt nan 4 nations during an emergency
• Improve information of nan effect decisions mightiness person connected group - some by nan unwellness and nan steps taken to respond to it
• Create master groups to counsel connected economical and societal implications, not conscionable nan science
• Ensure decisions - and their implications - are intelligibly communicated to nan public
• Enable greater parliamentary scrutiny of emergency powers

The authorities doesn't person to adopt nan inquiry's recommendations, but it must respond to them, which could style early policies.

The enquiry has already reported backmost connected Britain's preparedness for nan pandemic, concluding that nan UK grounded citizens pinch flawed plans.