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a three-day training on how to deal with a pandemic, is carried out, involving all major government departments, the NHS and local authorities. “It showed gaping holes in Britain’s Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response plan.” A report on the exercise has never been published, with a senior former government source with direct involvement saying the findings were deemed “too terrifying” to be revealed. “There was not enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for the nation’s doctors and nurses. The NHS was about to “fall over” due to a shortage of ventilators and critical care beds”, the Telegraph explains about the exercise. A senior academic directly involved in Exercise Cygnus and the current pandemic said: “These exercises are supposed to prepare government for something like this — but it appears they were aware of the problem but didn’t do much about it” (Sunday Telegraph). Publishing the report — which had been circulated within Whitehall — on 7 May 2020, the Guardian notes “it contained 26 key recommendations, including boosting the capacity of care homes and the numbers of staff available to work in them. It also warned of the challenge facing homes asked to take in patients from hospitals.” Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, which represents the largest independent care home providers, commented: “It beggars belief. This is a report that made some really clear recommendations that haven’t been implemented. If they had put in place a response to every one, we would have been in a much better place at the start of this pandemic.” (Guardian)

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June 2017: “The Department of Health rejected high-level medical advice 

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June 2017: “The Department of Health rejected high-level medical advice 

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about providing NHS staff with certain protective equipment during an influenza pandemic because stockpiling it would be too expensive”,

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14 September 2017: National Risk Register Of Civil Emergencies published by the Cabinet Office.

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14 September 2017: National Risk Register Of Civil Emergencies published by the Cabinet Office.

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The report notes “there is a high probability of a flu pandemic occurring” with “up to 50% of the UK population experiencing symptoms, potentially leading to between 20,000 and 750,000 fatalities and high levels of absence from work.” (Cabinet Office)

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2018: The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) warns the government, in a series of reports, about care homes’ exposure to a pandemic, the Guardian reports. 

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2018: The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) warns the government, in a series of reports, about care homes’ exposure to a pandemic, the Guardian reports. 

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“They called for better supply plans for personal protective equipment — warning that ‘demand for PPE could rapidly outstrip supply’ — plus improved infection control and a system to enlist volunteers to help services expected to be stretched to breaking point.” Adass comments: “We are not aware of whether government departments picked up on any of the recommendations set out.” (Guardian)

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30 July 2018: UK biological security strategy published, addressing the threat of pandemics.

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30 July 2018: UK biological security strategy published, addressing the threat of pandemics.

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It “was not properly implemented, according to a former government chief scientific advisor… Prof Sir Ian Boyd, who advised the environment department for seven years until last August and was involved in writing the strategy, said a lack of resources was to blame.” (Guardian)

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the UK must have a robust plan to deal with a pandemic virus and its potentially catastrophic social and economic consequences in a confidential Cabinet Office briefing leaked to the Guardian.” The report’s recommendations included “the need to stockpile PPE (personal protective equipment), organise advanced purchase agreements for other essential kit, establish procedures for disease surveillance and contact tracing, and draw up plans to manage a surge in excess deaths.” (Guardian)

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July 2019: “Boris Johnson scrapped a team of Cabinet ministers tasked with protecting the UK from a pandemic six months before coronavirus arrived”

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July 2019: “Boris Johnson scrapped a team of Cabinet ministers tasked with protecting the UK from a pandemic six months before coronavirus arrived”

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the Daily Mail reveals. The group, officially known as the Threats, Hazards, Resilience and Contingency Committee, a sub-committee of the National Security Council and attended by senior ministers including Michael Gove, Matt Hancock and Gavin Williamson, was “disbanded without discussing virus control plans… as part of a vow to streamline Whitehall.” (Daily Mail)

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January-February 2020: Boris Johnson misses five emergency Cobra meetings on coronavirus

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January-February 2020: Boris Johnson misses five emergency Cobra meetings on coronavirus

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(Sunday Times). Responding to the story on 19 April on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, senior government member Michael Gove says missing Cobra meetings is normal for a Prime Minister. The Guardian notes “Gove is correct in that prime ministers do not always, or even routinely, chair Cobra meetings. But it is common for them to do so during a major crisis.” (Guardian)

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2 January 2020: “Chinese authorities have launched an investigation

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2 January 2020: “Chinese authorities have launched an investigation

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into a mysterious viral pneumonia which has infected dozens of people in the central city of Wuhan.” (BBC News)