I told Chris Whitty at the time that scientists were providing cover for weak leaders taking harmful decisions
Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh
The Covid inquiry has shown us that inside No 10 there was a combination of squabbles, chaos and incompetence best described as an absurdist tragedy. The obvious takeaway is, “don’t elect someone like Boris Johnson” – who has been depicted in evidence as a mad king, sitting on his throne, oscillating between “let it rip” and “lock everyone down”, and offering up ridiculous YouTube-derived remedies like blowdrying your nose to keep Covid away. Although it can feel as if witness after witness is sticking another knife into a dead carcass, rather than implicating the then chancellor, Rishi Sunak, the former health secretary, Matt Hancock, or the former education secretary, Gavin Williamson.
But sometimes we will have weak leaders unsuited to the times. As a scientist in public health, I’m more concerned about the role of scientists and scientific advice during the pandemic. Here, it’s worth zooming in on the roles of the then chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, and the chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty.
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