Has Matt Hancock just had a good idea?
Spectator (UK)APR 3 2023
While governments including the UK suffered under the heavy burden of the COVID response, there is good news. If governments apply lessons learned from the recent pandemic, the chances of seeing another are reduced by as much as 71%. Having a strong implementation strategy for rapid vaccine rollout, vaccine distribution infrastructure, and other preparedness and mitigation measures can tamp down the likelihood of seeing another COVID situation or worse.
The UK is no better prepared for a pandemic today than they were for COVID in 2020. The government has repeatedly stated that another pandemic is inevitable but at the same time, agencies are dismantling public services and repurposing funding for research that could help to prevent and ultimately manage the next global disease outbreak. Early on in the COVID outbreak, the UK showed impressive resilience and dedication to public health. Sadly, since then, London has failed miserably to act on lessons learned.