Covid inquiry begins TODAY
Daily MailMAR 20 2023
Despite COVID being a great opportunity to resolve issues around the UK's readiness for and resilience to pandemics, it hasn't worked out like that. There is no way Britain has the systems in place to respond effectively to another outbreak and, considering the recent sale of the government-funded Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre, it's even possible that the nation is regressing by dismantling long-term preparedness structures. Dangerous gaps exist and aren't being properly addressed.
Pristine visions of pandemic preparedness make sense in the abstract, but they're completely rinsed of the reality of fickle politics, messy psychology, and dirty vested interests. Readiness and capacity rest on near intangible qualities like political leadership and will, and public appetite for action. There is a risk of learning too much from COVID, especially if the next virus is more lethal, transmitted differently, or otherwise distinct.