New report finds UK government wasn't properly prepared for Covid-19
November 19, 2021, 8:33 am

New report finds UK government wasn't properly prepared for Covid-19

Corona virus-UK combating Corona virus/Pixabay

The BBC reported, a new report has found that the UK government was not properly prepared for a pandemic like Covid-19.

The report by the National Audit Office (NAO) said the government lacked detailed plans on shielding, job support schemes and school disruption.

The spending watchdog added that lessons needed to be learned.

In response, the government said the unprecedented pandemic had challenged health systems around the world - not just the UK.

The NAO said preparations for a flu pandemic or highly infectious diseases like Ebola were prioritised over diseases with similar characteristics to Covid.

The watchdog said the UK government did not have specific plans to tackle a disease like Covid-19, which has a lower mortality rate than Ebola but has the ability to spread in communities with asymptomatic infected people.

Corona virus-Pandemic protection/Pixabay

The report suggests the government had some mitigations in place for a pandemic, like a stockpile of personal protective equipment, but it lacked preparation for "wide-ranging impacts" coronavirus and other pandemic-inducing viruses can have on society and the economy.

The government announced the furlough scheme, which originally covered 80% of wages for staff who were unable to work due to the pandemic, on 20 March - three days before the first national lockdown was brought in.

And on 21 March the government began sending letters to people identified as vulnerable to Covid, advising them to stay at home and "shield".

However, the NAO report found the government lacked detailed plans for such measures.

The report also found that the Cabinet Office allocated 56 of its 94 full-time emergency planning members of staff to prepare for potential disruptions from a no-deal exit from the European Union, "limiting its ability" to plan for other crises.

The watchdog found that the pandemic "exposed a vulnerability to whole-system emergencies", suggesting there was "limited oversight and assurance" of the plans in place.

The report said the government missed the opportunity to learn from previous large-scale pandemic simulations it carried out as far back as 2007. One simulation, Exercise Cygnus, which ran in 2016, suggested the government should consider "the ability of staff to work from home".

However, at the beginning of the Covid pandemic "many departmental business continuity plans did not include arrangements for extensive home working", the watchdog said.

A government spokesperson said: "We have always said there are lessons to be learned from the pandemic and have committed to a full public inquiry in spring.

"We prepare for a range of scenarios and while there were extensive arrangements in place, this is an unprecedented pandemic that has challenged health systems around the world."

Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister Fleur Anderson, said the report showed "Conservative ministers failed to prepare and they failed the public".

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”