PREVIEW

UK Government Failures Let Covid Spread 'Like Wildfire' In Care Homes, Inquiry Finds. The UK's Covid-19 inquiry has found that government failures allowed the virus to spread "like wildfire" through care homes during the pandemic. Inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett said the adult social care sector was treated as an "afterthought", with protecting the NHS sometimes prioritised over care home residents. More than 43,000 people died from Covid-19 in UK care homes between March 2020 and July 2022. Around 25,000 hospital patients were discharged into English care homes in March and April 2020 before mandatory testing was introduced. Hallett said freeing hospital beds was necessary but criticised the failure to advise care homes to isolate discharged patients, calling it a "significant omission”. She also rejected former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's claim that a "protective ring" had been placed around care homes, describing it as “unfounded”. The inquiry found shortages of protective equipment were "wholly unacceptable", with some care workers resorting to makeshift PPE including bin bags and bed linen. Hallett made eight recommendations, including better pandemic planning, support for staff to self-isolate and improved guidance on care home visits.
Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT