UK deferred pandemic planning as no-deal Brexit loomed, inquiry hears

Government knew in 2016 that major disease outbreak would overwhelm health system, officials say

Ministers knew in 2016 that even a moderate pandemic would overrun the system" and the government's emergency response function would be very rapidly overwhelmed" by a major disease outbreak, the UK Covid-19 public inquiry has heard.

A meeting of the Department of Health and Social Care board, which included the permanent secretary, Sir Chris Wormald, and the then chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, concluded there would be significant issues if it became necessary to track or quarantine thousands of people", newly disclosed documents revealed.