"It was the most momentous event in UK history since World War Two. As a new virus took hold, millions of us were told to stay at home and billions of pounds were spent propping up the country's economy. The Covid inquiry will publish its second set of findings later today, looking in detail at the huge political choices made at the time - including how lockdowns were introduced, the closure of businesses and schools, and bringing in previously unthinkable social restrictions."
"Since then more than 7,000 documents have been made public from the time, including WhatsApp chats and emails, private diaries and confidential files. Here, BBC News has picked out some of the urgent messages and scribbled notes that shine a light on how critical decisions were taken in 2020. On 2 January 2020 an update appears on ProMed, a service used by health workers to warn of emerging diseases."
National lockdowns and unprecedented social restrictions were imposed in 2020 as a new virus spread, accompanied by billions of pounds of economic support. A formal inquiry examined major political choices including timing of lockdowns, school and business closures, and emergency measures. More than 7,000 contemporaneous documents were released, including WhatsApp chats, emails, diaries, and confidential files. Early January 2020 alerts recorded cases in Wuhan and WHO engagement with Beijing. UK officials monitored the situation, sharing bulletins among scientific advisers and diplomats who compared the outbreak to SARS and reported city lockdowns and transport restrictions in Hubei province.
Read at www.bbc.com
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