🔗 Share this article Restrictions Seven Days Sooner Might Have Prevented Over 20,000 Deaths, Covid Investigation Determines A harsh independent inquiry into Britain's response to the pandemic crisis determined that the response was "inadequate and belated," noting that implementing a lockdown only seven days sooner might have spared more than 23,000 lives. Main Conclusions of the Investigation Documented through more than seven hundred fifty sections spanning two parts, the results paint an unmistakable picture showing procrastination, failure to act and an evident failure to understand lessons. The narrative about the beginning of the coronavirus in early 2020 is portrayed as notably harsh, labeling February as "a month of inaction." Government Shortcomings Highlighted The report questions why the UK leader did not to chair one meeting of the emergency emergency committee that month. The response to the virus effectively halted during the mid-term vacation. During the second week in March, the situation had become "almost disastrous," due to no proper preparation, no testing and therefore no clear picture regarding how far the virus was spreading. Possible Outcome Even though recognizing that the choice to enforce restrictions had been unprecedented and extremely challenging, taking other action to curb the circulation of coronavirus earlier might have resulted in a lockdown may not have been necessary, or been shorter. By the time a lockdown was necessary, the investigation stated, if it had been introduced on 16 March, modelling suggested this could have cut the number of lives lost in England in the first wave of the virus by almost half, equating to 23,000 deaths prevented. The failure to understand the scale of the threat, or the need for measures it demanded, resulted in that by the time the chance of a mandatory lockdown was first considered it proved too late and a lockdown had become necessary. Ongoing Failures The inquiry further noted how several similar mistakes – reacting too slowly and underestimating the rate together with effect of the pandemic's progression – were later repeated subsequently in 2020, as controls were eased and then late reintroduced because of contagious variants. It describes this "unjustifiable," stating that officials were unable to improve through repeated phases. Final Count The UK endured among the deadliest Covid crises within Europe, with approximately 240,000 pandemic fatalities. This investigation constitutes the latest by the public review into each part of the response and handling to Covid, that was launched previously and is expected to continue into 2027.