David Cameron Admits ‘Mistake’ in UK Pandemic Preparation
- Government prioritized flu over other diseases: former premier
- Cameron gives evidence to UK’s inquiry into Covid-19
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Former Prime Minister David Cameron said his UK government made a “mistake” in focusing on potential influenza pandemics rather than preparing for other respiratory diseases.
“The failing was not to ask more questions about asymptomatic transmission and what turned out to be the pandemic we had,” Cameron, who served as premier from 2010 to 2016, told the country’s Covid-19 inquiry on Monday. “So much time was spent on a pandemic influenza and that was seen as the greatest danger. But why wasn’t more time and more questions asked about what turned out to be the pandemic that we faced?”