Why we need a review of the government’s coronavirus mistakes

A second wave is coming, whether we like it or not. Sean O'Grady considers why a comprehensive examination of how the initial outbreak was (mis)handled will help us to prepare for what lies ahead

Britain’s failure to rapidly boost its testing capacity has been criticised throughout the pandemic (PA)

An early soundbite in the coronavirus crisis was “hope for the best, prepare for the worst”. It was soon heard less often from ministers as it became apparent, to critics at least, that the government might have had plenty of hope in its heart, but was woefully underprepared for what was to come.

That was the first wave; what of the second? Is Britain still underprepared for “the worst”?

The British Medical Association, among others, fears so, and it believes that some sort of inquiry into the errors of the immediate past would help: “A transparent rapid review of where we are and what needs to be done to prevent and prepare for a second wave ... if the public is to have confidence that the virus can be contained.”