People's Covid Inquiry: Why now?
Watch: Dr John Puntis on why we need the People's Covid Inquiry now
We believe an inquiry into the handling of the pandemic is needed now. The virus continues to spread and mutate and will not be stopped quickly by vaccine roll out. A change of course is needed if further loss of life is to be reduced. Since Government won’t do this until it’s too late, it falls upon campaigners and ordinary people to take this into their own hands.
We support the many demands for a full public investigation. Our initiative isn’t a substitute for this, but a way to draw attention to the pressing nature of the situation and provide a body of work that will give weight to calls for an official inquiry into what has been done right and what actions might have led to better outcomes.
Sadly, it is too soon to be talking of the crisis being over. Controversy remains over virus suppression versus elimination, safety in schools and workplaces, and even in our homes. There are disagreements over the use of face masks and the risk/benefits of ‘lockdowns’. Significant gaps in knowledge exist about how quickly vaccination will impact on the overall situation.
We will focus on how our NHS could have been better prepared to deal with the scale of this pandemic. By also scrutinising government policies before and during the crisis we aim to make recommendations on how a strengthened NHS could care for us and keep us safe in the future. We hope you’ll tell us your stories, attend the inquiry sessions and invite others to come along too.
How will the People's Covid Inquiry work?
Join our online sessions
Have your say