The UK’s public health response to covid-19
Gabriel Scally, Bobbie Jacobson, Kamran Abbasi
Abstract
The UK government and its advisers were confident that they were "well prepared" when covid-19 swept East Asia.The four-pronged plan of 3 March to contain, delay, research, and mitigate was supported by all UK countries and backed, they claimed, by science. 1 With over 30 000 hospital and community deaths by 12 May, where did the plan go wrong? 2 What was the role of public health in the biggest public health crisis since the Spanish flu of 1918?And what now needs to be done?What is clear is that the UK's response so far has neither been well prepared nor remotely adequate (see infographic).The weakness of the preparations was exposed in 2016 by Exercise Cygnus, a pandemic simulation, and the necessary remedial steps were not taken. 3On 30 January, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern and governments were urged to prepare for global spread of covid-19 from East Asia. 4Detailed case studies followed showing the need for high levels of mechanical ventilation and high death rates. 5 6But the UK ignored these warnings. Delay and dilution