London could have avoided lockdown – EURACTIV.com

Lockdown measures could have been avoided if the UK had been better prepared in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to former health secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Hunt, the current finance secretary, faced questions from an inquiry into Britain’s handling of the pandemic for the first time on Wednesday. One of the questions asked by MEPs was why the UK was not adequately prepared for a pandemic that has sickened millions and killed many.

One of the ways the UK could have slowed the spread of the pandemic was through lockdown measures, Hunt told the inquest. However, the country could have been better prepared for the pandemic, he said.

“If there’s one thing that could slow down the progression of Covid when it really does happen, it’s recognizing the importance of an early lockdown to prevent the spread of the disease,” he said.

“I think there’s a groupthink that this is an area that we know very well, and we don’t have much to learn from other countries — except the United States,” Hunt said. For example, the UK could have learned from South Korea, which was better prepared to avoid lockdown in the first year of the pandemic.

Last week, the inquiry said the government’s Brexit planning had sidelined efforts to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hugo Keith said Britain’s exit from the EU “requires a huge amount of planning and preparation, especially given the serious consequences of a no-deal exit for food and pharmaceuticals, travel and transport, the economy, borders and more.” During the hearing, lawyer K.C. .

“Obviously there was a narrow-mindedness, including myself, that didn’t give enough thought to this kind of epidemic,” Hunt said.

The investigation is yet to be completed.