Boris Johnson Says UK Underestimated Threat Posed by Covid-19.

JOHNSON, Boris, 1964-; COVID-19; OLDER people; GENDER inequality; POPULATION density; BRITISH people

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted that his government underestimated the threat of Covid-19 in early 2020 and apologized for the suffering and loss experienced by the British people. During his testimony to the Covid-19 inquiry, Johnson defended himself against criticism of his handling of the pandemic and acknowledged the chaos and confusion in the early months of 2020. He acknowledged that mistakes may have been made in trying to balance the harms caused by the pandemic. Johnson's testimony followed months of criticism from senior officials and ministers. He also discussed issues such as the handling of WhatsApp messages, the gender balance in his team, and the decision to shake hands with Covid patients. Johnson rejected claims that the UK had the second worst level of excess deaths in Western Europe and cited the country's population density and elderly population as factors that made the situation more challenging. He also mentioned that his Cabinet was more reluctant to impose a lockdown than he was. Johnson's emotional testimony included an apology for the pain and loss suffered by the victims and their families. [Extracted from the article]

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