Dame Kate Bingham: the UK ‘ignoring’ expected pandemic threat

The government developed for a range of scenarios.

Dame Kate Bingham, a former chairwoman of the country’s vaccine task force released that the UK was “woefully underprepared” for the Covid-19 pandemic. She also urged ministers should move now to create protection facing future disasters.

Dame Kate Bingham: the UK ‘ignoring’ expected pandemic threat

She stated there is a “mortifying” shortage of skills and experience in science, industry, commerce and manufacturing in the civil service. Mrs Bingham proposed that it was only Sir Patrick Vallance that enabled the formulation of the vaccine task force outside normal Whitehall arrangements.

The UK lost the chance to handle future pandemics

She added, “the UK “lost the chance” to build a rapid protein production ability. This lost both the flexibility to handle future pandemics and suffered an economic chance.”

Mrs Bingham also scrutinised the Government’s choice to pull out of a deal with Valneva, a French pharmaceutical company, before it had completed the clinical trial of its Covid-19 vaccine.

The choice was not only a shock to international pandemic efforts but will depress the UK’s resilience to later disease explosions, she spoke.

Cummings about government’s handle pandemic

Dominic Cummings also has been sharp about how the early stages of the pandemic were done by the Government. Previously, he also stated that the Government system for dealing with crises is a “tragedy”.

A Government spokesperson replied: “During the pandemic, we have been conducted by scientific and medical experts and we never shied away from taking immediate and crucial action to save lives and protect our NHS.”

The government developed for a range of scenarios. While there were widespread arrangements in place, this is an unusual pandemic that has tested health systems around the world, added a spokesperson.