Government’s Covid response must be judged on number of deaths, inquiry hears

The UK government’s response to the pandemic must be judged on the number of Covid-related deaths, the lead counsel for the UK’s independent inquiry into the pandemic has said.

Hugo Keith said module two of the inquiry, which started today, will consider whether the UK government’s “momentous decisions”, particularly during the period between January 2020 and March 2020, served the public well or failed them.

“How is this to be measured?” asked Keith. “If the protection of life is the preeminent duty which any government owes to the people, then the number of those who died is the marker against which the government’s response must be judged.”

He added: “The prevention of death should arguably have been the government’s primary obligation.”

As of 1 September 2023, 230,115 people have died in the UK with Covid-19 cited on their death certificates. Keith showed the inquiry a series of charts including excess deaths data that reflects the spikes in Covid-related deaths during the first and second waves of the virus in the UK. “Such loss of life demands the question: did it have to be this way?” he added.

Scope of module two

The second module of the inquiry will focus on the UK government’s decision-making and performance during the initial response to Covid-19. During nine weeks of hearings, witnesses including Rishi Sunak, former home secretary Priti Patel and former Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove will be called. Evidence will also be given by experts in, ethnicity, disability, later life, gender and key workers, as well as by representatives of bereaved families.

Former PM Boris Johnson will also be called. Evidence presented to the inquiry may suggest “the character and operating style of Mr Johnson and his team created instability and exacerbated some of the pre-existing structural issues and tensions. Some of this may be deliberate, perhaps even beneficial”, said Keith. “Was his decision-making style antithetic to effective and speedy decision making?”

Owing to the wide-reaching impacts of the pandemic on almost every aspect of public and private life, module two will limit its scope to non-pharmaceutical interventions, therefore not including drugs and vaccines, said Keith. The NHS’ response, regarding factors such as the procurement of PPE for health workers and the efficacy of test and trace programmes, will be considered in later modules.

Keith used his opening remarks to outline key moments from early 2020 that the inquiry will have to consider. This included specific evidence, such as emails from January 2020 to Scotland’s chief medical officer about the need to escalate the response to Covid, and broader questions, such as whether the advisory group Sage’s influence was limited by not being able to make decisions.

Bereaved families’ concerns

Ahead of module two, bereaved family groups criticised the inquiry for not allowing more of them to give evidence and a dignified protest was staged outside the hearing centre on the first day. Inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett acknowledged the demonstration and bereaved families’ “concerns” but said the inquiry did not have the time to call more witnesses.

“The need for me to reach conclusions and make recommendations to reduce suffering in the future when the next pandemic hits the UK is pressing,” she said.

“The more witnesses we call in any module and the longer the hearing takes, the greater the delay in making recommendations and the greater the delay in hearing other important modules.”

Hallett said the inquiry would not ignore the bereaved “or any other group who suffered”, saying they may be called as witnesses in later modules or contribute to the inquiry’s listening exercise – a survey collecting public experiences of the pandemic.

She also referenced evidence to be given this week by four representatives of bereaved families groups – one each for the UK, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. As the second module opened, a 20-minute film was played featuring testimonies from people across the UK who had lost family members to Covid or had their lives changed by the virus.

In the film, people recalled parents dying alone in care homes and hospitals and the guilt they continue to carry. Parents described the impacts of the virus and long Covid on their young and teenage children.

“Our daughter has lost her entire teenage life and that deserves an answer,” parents Sammie and Scott said of their teenage daughter, who has long Covid and has endured extreme mental and physical suffering, including paralysing pain and the loss of the ability to stand.

The inability to hold proper funerals owing to government enforced Covid restrictions was repeatedly raised throughout the film, as was the impact this has had on bereaved families seeking closure.

“It’s not just the fact that my dad died, it’s the how and why he did,” said Ian, whose father died from Covid in hospital, in the film. “That’s what needs to be addressed and that’s what I hope the inquiry can help to do.”

The inquiry continues.