UK took action too late against COVID-19 during first wave of pandemic, top medical officer says

By SYLVIA HUI
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The U.K.’s chief medical adviser says Britain’s government was too late in taking action against the coronavirus during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. Chris Whitty told a public inquiry into the U.K. pandemic response that he was more wary than others about the negative impacts of “shielding” or isolation policies, school closures and lockdowns. But he rejected suggestions that he had warned the government against “overreacting.” He said the U.K. should perhaps have “cottoned on” to a national lockdown being a possibility in the early days of the pandemic. But he added that “there were no good options.” The U.K. has one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in Europe.