Covid inquiry: what stage is it at and what will it look at?

The Covid-19 Inquiry is a public inquiry to examine the UK’s response to the pandemic, as well as its wide-sweeping impact.

In the UK, at least 216,726 people have had Covid-19 mentioned on their death certificate since the start of the pandemic.

Multiple lockdowns, school closures and furloughs later, a public inquiry aims to gauge what lessons can be learned for the future.

Two preliminary hearings have already taken place on 28 February and 1 March. The next one will be on 21 March and will cover Scotland, including strategic issues, political governance, lockdowns and restrictions. The inquiry is chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, a former Court of Appeal judge.

The inquiry has been split into three modules: resilience and preparedness, core UK-decision making; political governance, and the impact of Covid-19 on healthcare systems across the UK.

In Spring 2022, the inquiry held a public consultation on its draft terms of reference which allowed people to give their opinions on the topics the inquiry would cover.

The public inquiry has come under heavy criticism after it was announced that structural racism will not be explicitly considered.

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Source: The Independent, 2 March 2023