Testifying under oath at the Covid-19 public inquiry in Britain, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson conceded on Wednesday that his government was slow to comprehend the magnitude of the pandemic. While he acknowledged collective mistakes, he avoided direct responsibility for the high death toll, emphasizing a failure to recognize the severity and speed of the crisis when reports of the virus emerged in early 2020.
Johnson's admission followed statements from former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who asserted in the previous week's inquiry that initiating a lockdown a few weeks earlier than March 23, 2020, could have saved thousands of lives. Despite acknowledging governmental missteps, Johnson refrained from attributing blame solely to himself, characterizing the errors as a shared failure.
Addressing the inquiry's lawyer, Hugo Keith, Johnson admitted his absence from most of the government's crisis meetings on the virus in February 2020 and limited scrutiny of meeting minutes. He relied on "distilled" advice from science and medicine advisers. Apologizing for the pandemic's impact, Johnson faced criticism, with some courtroom attendees holding signs expressing discontent.
While maintaining the difficulty of decision-making during the pandemic, Johnson stated that he was "not sure" if the government's actions resulted in excess deaths. The public inquiry, led by retired Judge Heather Hallett, was initiated in response to pressure from bereaved families and is expected to span three years. Johnson has submitted a written evidence statement but has not provided about 5,000 WhatsApp messages from crucial weeks in 2020, citing technical difficulties. The inquiry aims to examine the government's handling of the pandemic comprehensively.
