UK COVID inquiry: Boris Johnson says he underestimated threat from virus

Boris Johnson, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, apologized publicly for how his administration handled the coronavirus crisis on Wednesday. Johnson stated that his administration had been too complacent and had first misjudged the threats posed by the virus.

Johnson stated that he accepted responsibility for all decisions made during his appearance before an official inquiry into how the United Kingdom dealt with the pandemic. He also stated that he understood the anger of the public after the inquiry heard allegations of incompetence, backstabbing, and misogyny on the part of the government as it dealt with the most severe health crisis in decades.

Johnson stated that COVID-19 had initially appeared as a “cloud on the horizon” rather than the “typhoon” that would go on to kill more than 230,000 people in Britain and infect many millions more.

In the beginning, Johnson stated that he did not trust the predictions of fatalities. He only reviewed the minutes of the government’s most important scientific advisory committee on several occasions, even though their conclusions led to the most severe restriction of civil freedoms since World War Two.

His statement came at the beginning of a hearing that would last for two days. “Can I say that I understand the feelings of the victims and their families, and I am deeply sorry for the pain, the loss, and the suffering?” he added.

Johnson resigned in disgrace after a series of scandals, including reports that he and other officials had been present at alcohol-fueled gatherings in Downing Street during the years 2020 and 2021 when the majority of people in Britain were forced to stay at home. Johnson served as Prime Minister for three years, from 2019 to 2022.

At this point in the investigation, the investigation has already heard detrimental information regarding his hesitation to lock down and how he was perplexed by the science.

It is alleged that Johnson once inquired about whether or not blowing a hair dryer up his nose might eliminate the virus. Additionally, he recommended that he be injected with COVID-19 on live television to alleviate the general public’s concerns.

The former prime minister was confronted with several issues regarding whether or not he delayed implementing a lockdown at the beginning of the year 2020 and whether or not this may have contributed to the United Kingdom having one of the highest death tolls in the world as a result of the pandemic.

Johnson stated that there were ongoing disagreements amongst ministers and bureaucrats over the appropriate way to react, and that his cabinet of senior ministers were more hesitant than he was to place limitations on the movements of the general population.

He arrived at the investigation in the dark, more than three hours before the hearing began. He did this to avoid confronting the families of some of the people who had died as a result of COVID-19. These families had wanted to confront Johnson about allegations that he had told his colleagues that he would prefer to see people die in large numbers than to order a second lockdown.

Protesters caused a disruption at the beginning of the session, leading the chairperson of the investigation to issue warnings to them and, in some instances, orders for them to leave.

According to Aamer Anwar, the attorney who represents some COVID families who have suffered a loss, Johnson was responsible for overseeing “a deadly culture of impunity and incompetence” and treating individuals as if they were hazardous garbage.

During the investigation, information was gathered from Patrick Vallance, who had previously served as the senior scientific adviser to the government. Vallance had written in his journal in October 2020 that Johnson had intended to allow the virus to spread rather than impose another lockdown.

Further top advisors, such as Dominic Cummings and Eddie Lister, assert that Johnson also instructed them to “let the bodies pile high.”

In response to the investigation, Johnson stated that the fact that nasty texts were passed between officials did not indicate that his leadership was dysfunctional. However, he acknowledged that his team would have performed more effectively during the epidemic if it had included more women.

Cummings, who was Johnson’s most senior official at the time, complained in a profanity-filled message that he was “dodging stilettos” from a female colleague and wanted to “handcuff her and escort her” from Downing Street. This communication was handed before the committee. Cummings was Johnson’s most senior officer at the time.