UK's Early plan to combat COVID-19 was an awful decision, Dominic Cummings says
May 23, 2021, 1:54 pm

Dominic Cummings

FILE PHOTO: Former special advisor to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, is seen outside of his house, in London, Britain, May 4, 2021.

REUTERS/TOBY MELVILLE

Britain's early plan to combat COVID-19 was a "disaster" and "awful decisions" led to the government imposing lockdowns that could have been avoided, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's former top adviser said.

Dominic Cummings, who left Johnson's staff late last year, made his comments in a series of tweets just days before he is due to give evidence to members of parliament about the government's handling of the pandemic.

Before his sudden departure, Cummings had been Johnson's most influential adviser on Brexit and played an important role in his successful 2019 election campaign. He was also the architect of Britain's campaign to leave the European Union.

Johnson, who has imposed three lockdowns during the pandemic, has hailed Britain's vaccination programme as a success, but the United Kingdom has one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls and it has suffered a deep economic slump.

"If we'd had the right preparations + competent people in charge, we wd probably have avoided lockdown1, *definitely* no need for lockdowns 2&3," Cummings wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

"Given the plan was AWOL/disaster + awful decisions delayed everything, lockdown1 became necessary."

The government has said there are lessons to be learned from the pandemic since facing accusations of being slow to impose lockdowns.

Cummings is due to appear on Wednesday before a joint inquiry of the lower house of parliament's Health and Social Care Committee and the Science and Technology Committee.

On herd immunity, where the virus spreads through the population to increase overall resistance, Cummings wrote on Twitter: "Our original plan was wrong & we changed when we realised."

Johnson's Downing Street office said in a statement that "herd immunity has never been a policy aim or part of our coronavirus strategy."

"Our response has at all times been focused on saving lives and ensuring the NHS (National Health Service) was not overwhelmed. We continue to be guided by the latest scientific advice."

(Reporting by Costas Pitas, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Reuters, May 23, 2021 / 7:22 AM EDT

UK's Early plan to combat COVID-19 was an awful decision, Dominic Cummings says

Image Ownership Reuters

Britain will make borders 'fully digital' to measure the levels of immigration Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held into the third day, U.N. to expedit humanitarian aid for Gaza

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.”