According to the inquiry into the pandemic, the Welsh government’s cabinet failed to address the potential impact of Covid until a month after the chief medical officer warned about the significant risk of it reaching Wales, despite the virus already spreading globally.
At the beginning of a three-week inquiry in Cardiff, it was revealed that the UK government’s cabinet had discussed Covid over three weeks prior. Bereaved families expressed disappointment in the delay and saw it as a lost opportunity to prepare for the battle against the virus.
The ruling Labour government was faced with criticism for neglecting proper infection control protocols, allowing patients to leave hospitals and enter care homes without being screened. Some suggested that first minister Mark Drakeford’s leadership should have implemented a ban on large gatherings earlier.
The Welsh portion of the UK’s Covid investigation commenced with a poignant video featuring families recounting the loss of loved ones to the virus, and survivors sharing how it has impacted them. One individual shared the heart-wrenching experience of their spouse pleading not to be taken to the hospital, fearing they would contract the virus. Others shared heartbreaking accounts of loved ones passing away while isolated in Covid wards, unable to be with their families.
A individual with disabilities shared their experience of struggling with their mental well-being due to feeling confined during lockdown measures. Others expressed anguish over not being able to plan appropriate funeral ceremonies.
The inquiry’s counsel, Tom Poole KC, stated that the amount of Covid-related fatalities in Wales exceeded 12,300. He expressed that this was an alarming number and a tragic loss of life.
According to Poole, individuals hailing from marginalized communities such as ethnic minorities, disabled individuals, elderly people, and women in Wales have been disproportionately impacted by Covid.
Describing the timeline of the outbreak, Poole stated that on January 24, 2020, the Welsh government received a warning from their chief medical officer, Frank Atherton, about the possibility of Covid spreading to Wales. The UK cabinet addressed the issue on January 31, while the Welsh cabinet did not discuss it until February 25.
Was the lack of discussion about Covid by the Welsh cabinet in January a sign that they did not view the virus as a serious threat, or did they trust that the UK government was handling it effectively and did not need to take separate action? Was it a result of a lack of strategic leadership and coordination from the Welsh government during this critical time?
He noted that although Welsh Labour had cancelled its conference for spring 2020, they still permitted a gathering of 70,000 individuals for the Wales v Scotland rugby game on 14 March in Cardiff. The game was later cancelled by the Welsh Rugby Union, but not before 20,000 Scottish rugby fans had already arrived in the city. He also mentioned that two concerts by the Welsh band Stereophonics took place as scheduled.
Poole said: “Gatherings were not without some risk and a ban would have reinforced other social distancing good practice.”
The lawyer stated that over 1,000 patients from Wales were released from the hospital to care homes without being tested in March and April of 2020. He acknowledged that there has been a significant breakdown in infection control, which may have been caused by the admission of infected patients who were not tested.
During the later stages of the pandemic, the Welsh government implemented varying limitations compared to those in England. Poole stated: “We will investigate whether these differences were based on sound advice… and determine if they were significant distinctions or simply superficial.”
The disappearance of WhatsApp messages sent by politicians has been raised as a concern during the investigation. Poole noted that text and WhatsApp exchanges from ministers provided insight into important choices. He mentioned that there were cases where informal discussions among Welsh politicians had been deleted and suggested that the inquiry should seek an explanation for why these messages are not accessible for review.
According to Nia Gowman, who is a legal representative for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru organization, at the inquiry it was mentioned that Vaughan Gething, who was the health minister for Wales at the time and is now in the running for first minister, along with a top advisor to Mark Drakeford, had utilized the disappearing messages feature on WhatsApp during the time of the pandemic.
Source: theguardian.com
