Commencement of Key Proceedings on UK's Management of the COVID-19 Crisis
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Loading... - Vivian Kiiza
- 13 Jun 2023
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The primary hearings of the COVID-19 inquiry in the United Kingdom have been initiated, aiming to examine the country's approach to handling the devastating coronavirus pandemic, which resulted in one of the highest death tolls worldwide.
Chairwoman Heather Hallett, in her opening statement on Tuesday, reiterated her commitment to prioritizing those who have endured hardship and loss throughout the inquiry process. She emphasized that their suffering will be acknowledged and given due consideration.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson commissioned this inquiry to scrutinize the UK's preparedness, as well as its public health and economic responses to the crisis. By the time Johnson stepped down in July of the previous year, the country had already reported over 175,000 deaths from the virus.
The initial phase of the hearings, which focuses on assessing the nation's preparedness for the pandemic, commenced on Tuesday. Although preliminary hearings have taken place, this week marks the first occasion for presenting evidence since the formal launch of the inquiry in June 2022.
The subsequent segment of the evidentiary hearings, concerning governance and decision-making during the pandemic, is scheduled to begin later in the year.
The government has raised a legal objection against the inquiry's request for access to internal government WhatsApp messages from Johnson's tenure, deeming them "unambiguously irrelevant" to the investigation. Nonetheless, the inquiry remains committed to uncovering the truth and comprehending the overall management of the crisis.
