A Labour MP has said that Boris Johnson made “monumental mistakes” in delaying acting on scientific advice in lockdowns.
Scientists have slammed the Prime Minister over a “legacy of poor decisions” during the pandemic which has unfortunately led to one of the worst death rates in the world.
Professor Linda Bauld, public health expert from the University of Edinburgh, said due to “a legacy of poor decisions that were taken when we eased restrictions,” has led to shocking death toll.
Speaking to the BBC, she said due to the lack of focus on test and trace and the “absolute inability to recognise” the need to address international travel, this absolutely has led to a more deadly winter surge in infections and deaths.
Johnson said during a press briefing last night that “we truly did everything we could,” and Robert Jenrick said that Ministers took the “best possible” advice from their advisors.
The Shadow Health Secretary, Jonathan Ashworth said that he does not believe that the Prime Minister had done everything possible, and added that he does not “accept that.”
Ashworth slammed Johnson by pointing out, Johnson was provided with the scientific advice and told to impose lockdowns, but he “pushed that back,” in March and then again in September and December which has led to a surge in deaths and infections.
The Shadow Health Secretary also criticised the failing contact tracing system and the government did not introduce proper and effective health controls at borders.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, who undertook a review of inequalities in Covid-19 deaths, said the UK was “in a bad state” when the UK entered into the Pandemic.
He warned that with rising health inequality there had been a slowdown in life expectancy improvements.
“The deaths on the way up are likely to be mirrored by the number of deaths on the way down in this wave. Each one again is a tragedy and each one represents probably four or five people who survive but are damaged by Covid.”
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