started · updated
UK Covid Inquiry: Care homes were an afterthought during pandemic
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has released its sixth report, concluding that the adult social care sector was treated as an “afterthought” during the early stages of the pandemic. Chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, the report found that the focus on “protecting the NHS” often came at the expense of care home residents and providers, creating conditions that allowed the virus to “spread like wildfire.”
Between March 2020 and July 2022, more than 43,000 care home residents died involving Covid-19. A primary cause identified was the practice of discharging hospital patients into care homes without prior testing to free up acute beds. This resulted in approximately 25,000 to 30,000 individuals being transferred into facilities without officials knowing their Covid-19 status.
The inquiry specifically rejected former Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s 2020 claim that a “protective ring” had been placed around care homes from the start, labeling the assertion “unfounded.” The report noted that protection measures and isolation mandates arrived too late, and many facilities lacked the resources or space to safely isolate new arrivals. Additionally, strict visiting bans left many residents feeling “isolated, abandoned and alone.”
Entities
Baroness Heather Hallett · Heather Hallett · Matt Hancock · NHS Scotland · National Health Service · Scottish Government · UK Covid-19 Inquiry · United Kingdom
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 6 SOURCES] The adult social care sector was treated as an afterthought compared to the NHS. world-today-journal.com · dailysceptic.org · nen.press · www.gbnews.com · news.stv.tv · +1 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 25,000 to 30,000 patients were discharged from hospitals into care homes without prior Covid-19 testing in early 2020. world-today-journal.com · internewscast.com · nen.press
- [● 6 SOURCES] The claim that a protective ring was placed around care homes from the start was unfounded. world-today-journal.com · dailysceptic.org · internewscast.com · nen.press · www.gbnews.com · +1 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] More than 43,000 care home residents died involving Covid-19 between March 2020 and July 2022. world-today-journal.com · dailysceptic.org · internewscast.com · nen.press · www.gbnews.com · +2 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Care workers faced severe shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE). internewscast.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] In Scotland, isolation mandates for newly arrived care home residents were implemented earlier than in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. world-today-journal.com · news.stv.tv