UK ‘underprepared for severe pandemic because of planning for no-deal Brexit’

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Hugo Keith KC, counsel to the inquiry, asked: “Was there any consideration, foresight or planning for total economic collapse, furlough scheme, for national support financially and for the closing of businesses and, in effect, the economy?” Ms Hammond replied: “All of those things flow from the planning for a lockdown, so the answer follows no.” The news that the Cabinet Office hadn’t done any preparations for lockdowns prior to the pandemic is absolutely horrific for families like mine Rivka Gottlieb, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice She also admitted that risk assessments did not identify the need for personal protective equipment over such a long period of time and in such large quantities and that mass contact tracing, a lack of “antiviral” for coronavirus and the lack of a vaccine was not anticipated or planned for. In short, the UK entered the pandemic with its public services depleted, health improvements stalled, health inequalities increased and health among the poorest people in a state of decline Experts' report The “expert opinion” report highlighted health inequalities in the UK, including regional differences when it comes to things such as life expectancy and the number of deaths which can be impacted by the quality of healthcare. “In short, the UK entered the pandemic with its public services depleted, health improvements stalled, health inequalities increased and health among the poorest people in a state of decline.” Sir Michael told the inquiry that social care and public health spending had gone down before the pandemic, especially in the most deprived parts of the country. Citing the Government’s own data, he said it showed that the “greater the deprivation, the greater the need, the greater the need, the greater the reduction in local authority spend in general … That will damage the health of people, other things equal, and will contribute to inequalities in health.” You've got to plan for better health and narrow health inequalities, and that will protect you in the pandemic Prof Sir Michael Marmot Sir Michael later said it was his general view “that if you look at the evidence from previous pandemics, including the current one that we’re considering, that the impact of the pandemic is very much influenced by pre-existing inequalities in society, including inequalities in health.” He said it was not just about “whether there was a report somewhere in Government about planning for a pandemic, you’ve got to plan for better health and narrow health inequalities, and that will protect you in the pandemic.” The inquiry heard that life expectancy was in decline, particularly among poorer groups, by the time the pandemic hit the UK.