COVID-19 Flashcards
(Feb - Sept ‘20) How was the government’s initial response to COVID-19?
- There was no clear policy approach at the start of the pandemic.
- Initial contract tracing abandoned in mid-March.
- Significant delay before population-wide distancing strategies were introduced.
(Feb - Sept ‘20) How was the government’s initial response to COVID-19?
- Summer 2020: UK failed to prepare for a second wave.
- Public health messaging became mixed and confusing
- The UK Government failed to use this time to build effective systems for testing and contact tracing. England outsourced it, failed.
(Feb - Sept ‘20) How many doctors were not confident in how the government handled the pandemic?
Two months into the pandemic, over two thirds of doctors told us at the time that they did not feel confident in how their government had handled the pandemic to date.
(Sept 2020 - Apr 2021) How did the UK government handle the second wave?
- No plan in summer ‘20 for keeping COVID-19 at bay, infection rates rose rapidly.
- Local lockdowns and localised restrictions were introduced from summer 2020, but failed.
- Lack of communication between national and local govt.
(Sept 2020 - Apr 2021) What was the state of public communications during the second wave?
Public communication became even less clear during the second wave, limiting people’s understanding of local measures. Last minute changes to restrictions during Christmas 2020 created confusion and frustration, severely damaging trust in public messaging.
How successful was the vaccination campaign? (December ‘20)
- The NHS-led rollout of the vaccination programme was a vital success during this time and signalled a move away from lockdowns.
- First in the world to vaccinate in Dec ‘20.
- Limitations: anti-vaccination messaging and inequity in take-up.
How was the government’s response to the third wave (May - Dec 2021)?
- Despite mass vaccinations, COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations remained high. Delta variant caused meant the NHS was working at the limits of its capacity to deliver both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 care.
- Messaging was politicised, removal of restrictions was framed in the context of ‘freedom’.
What COVID variant came with the third wave?
Delta variant
How were doctor’s confidence levels about COVID-19 management?
In November 2021, only 25% of doctors said they felt confident in the current approach to managing the spread of COVID-19 in their country.
How concerned were doctors about anti-vaccination messaging?
At the start of the vaccination rollout, almost 9 in 10 doctors told the BMA that they were concerned about how anti-vaccination messages would impact on uptake of the vaccine.
How confident did doctors feel about challenging non-mask wearers?
Over a third of doctors told us in September 2021 that they did not feel supported by their government to ask a patient or visitor to wear a facemask if they were not already doing so.
What variant spread during the fourth wave?
Omicron
When was the fourth wave?
Dec ‘21 - present
Why was Omicron such a threat?
- Highly infectious.
- Hit during the winter.
How did changes in restrictions disproportionately advantage wealthier people?
In early 2022 all four UK governments published strategies for replacing legal restrictions with guidance. The removal of key public health measures, such as free testing, self-isolation support payments, and statutory sick pay provision in England, created a two-tier system where only those who could afford it could protect themselves.
