Johnson wanted tighter Covid rules, inquiry hears
- In early January 2021, during the third national lockdown, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged a more authoritarian approach to enforce Covid-19 self-isolation rules.
- This position followed a rise in Covid-19 cases and reflected policymakers' persistent preference for punitive measures over supportive incentives to boost adherence.
- Evidence showed that a legal duty to self-isolate with fines began in September 2020, yet challenges in scaling testing and tracing persisted, complicated by late testing rollouts for healthcare workers.
- Lord Patrick Vallance emphasized that it is essential to keep a testing and tracing system prepared for quick expansion, expressing concern that the current dismantling of capacity will make it more difficult to increase scale in the future.
- The inquiry suggests future pandemic responses need balanced enforcement and support, paired with transparent, scalable testing systems to improve compliance and preparedness.
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Johnson favoured ‘authoritarian approach’ to pandemic punishments, inquiry told
Lord Patrick Vallance was speaking to the seventh module of the Covid-19 Inquiry.
Boris Johnson wanted authoritarian Covid rules, inquiry hears | Tech, Entertainment, Sport, Fashion, Travel News
PA Media Lord Patrick Vallance, former government chief scientific adviser, gave evidence to the inquiry in west London Boris Johnson pushed for a more “ruthless, authoritarian approach” towards people who refused to self-isolate during the pandemic, according to documents seen by the Covid inquiry. The instinct of policy makers was to favour “punitive measures” over financial support, wrote Lord Patrick Vallance who spoke to the PM throughout …
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