LONDON — A UK public inquiry has found that around 23,000 deaths in England could have been prevented if the first Covid-19 lockdown had been introduced earlier, while also criticizing a “toxic” and misogynistic culture at the heart of government.
The second report from the inquiry into Britain’s Covid-19 response highlighted a “lack of urgency” by the government led by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the early days of the pandemic in 2020. Inquiry chair Heather Hallett described a “serious failure” to appreciate the scale of the risk and the need for swift action.
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According to the report, modeling shows that imposing the first lockdown one week earlier than March 23, 2020, could have reduced deaths during the first wave by 48 percent. Hallett called February 2020 a “lost month” and noted that earlier restrictions might have shortened or even avoided the mandatory lockdown.
The inquiry also criticized repeated delays in implementing sufficient measures to control subsequent waves of Covid-19, though it rejected claims that the March 2020 lockdown itself was a mistake, saying it prevented an “unacceptable loss of life.”
The report singled out a “toxic and chaotic culture” at the center of government, with women’s voices often ignored and key officials sidelined in decision-making. It highlighted the destabilizing role of Johnson’s former aide Dominic Cummings and criticized Johnson for failing to address the culture.
By mid-July 2021, the UK had recorded more than 128,500 Covid deaths, with total fatalities exceeding 226,000 since the start of the pandemic. Families of the bereaved have described the government’s handling as “catastrophic” and preventable.
The inquiry recommended reforms to emergency decision-making structures and better consideration of vulnerable groups. The UK Covid-19 inquiry, which began in 2023, is scheduled to conclude hearings in 2026.
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