The UK COVID-19 Inquiry must examine the foundations of pandemic decision making

Abstract

As the UK Government has shifted its pandemic response to living with COVID-19,1 the long-awaited UK COVID-19 Inquiry started on June 28, 2022. Chaired by the Right Honourable Baroness Heather Hallett DBE, the Inquiry's Terms of Reference have been published after a public consultation and a final decision from the UK Prime Minister.2 However, we believe that the UK COVID-19 Inquiry risks missing scrutiny of important aspects of the pandemic response if it is built on the same foundations that produced government pandemic decision making.