Inquiry Newsletter – January 2025

આ દસ્તાવેજ ડાઉનલોડ કરો

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તરફથી સંદેશ Ben Connah, Secretary to the Inquiry

Welcome to our January newsletter, the Inquiry’s first update of 2025. 

We begin the year with public hearings for the Inquiry’s Module 4 investigation into રસીઓ અને ઉપચારશાસ્ત્ર. Over the next three weeks, the Inquiry will hear evidence on the development and use of Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics across the four nations. To support the Inquiry’s Module 4 investigation, we have now published the second Every Story Matters record on Vaccines and Therapeutics which was submitted into evidence on the first day of public hearings for મોડ્યુલ 4. 

Over the course of the year Baroness Hallett will also hear evidence in relation to procurement, the care sector, test trace and isolate, children and young people and the economic response to the pandemic.

In addition to this busy hearing schedule, Baroness Hallett is working on the Inquiry’s second report which she expects to publish in autumn 2025. We share more information about this in the newsletter. 

In February, our team will be visiting Manchester, Bristol and Swansea to hear about people’s experiences from the pandemic in-person. You can find further details on dates and specific locations for our events below.

Thank you for your continued interest in the Inquiry and I look forward to seeing some of you through the course of our hearings or at one of our upcoming events.

Module 4 public hearings

Public hearings for the Inquiry’s Module 4 investigation began on Tuesday 14 January. Hearings will take place at the Hearing Centre in Dorland House and run until Friday 31 January 2025. 

The Inquiry’s Module 4 investigation considers a range of issues relating to the development of Covid-19 vaccines and the implementation of the vaccine rollout programme across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The module also examines issues relating to the treatment of Covid-19 through both existing and new medications, and focuses on lessons learned and preparedness for future pandemics. Further information about this investigation can be found on the મોડ્યુલ 4 page of our website. 

Module 4 hearings will be held at Dorland House, Paddington, London, W2 6BU (નકશો). Hearings are open to the public to attend – there are 41 seats available in the public gallery in the hearing room, in addition to a number of seating options available throughout the Inquiry’s London hearing centre. Information about how to reserve seats can be found on our website.

પર સુનાવણીનું જીવંત પ્રસારણ કરવામાં આવશે પૂછપરછની યુટ્યુબ ચેનલ, ત્રણ મિનિટના વિલંબને આધિન. બધા લાઇવસ્ટ્રીમ્સ પછીથી જોવા માટે ઉપલબ્ધ છે.

આ Module 4 hearings timetable will be published on our website on each Thursday for the week ahead. Please note timings are provisional and subject to change.

We send out weekly updates via email during our public hearings, summarising key topics and who appeared as witnesses. You can sign up for these from the વેબસાઇટનું ન્યૂઝલેટર પૃષ્ઠ જો તમે પહેલાથી આવું કર્યું નથી.

Inquiry to publish findings and recommendations on core UK decision making and political governance

In autumn 2025, the Inquiry expects to publish Baroness Hallett’s second report, focused on core UK decision-making and political governance across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The report will bring together the work of four modules which investigated core political and administrative governance and decision making across the whole of the UK (Modules 2, 2A, 2B અને 2C).  Hearings for these modules were held in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast from October 2023 – May 2024. The report will analyse the evidence gathered in respect of all four nations and make recommendations for any future response to a pandemic. 

You can read more about the Inquiry’s work and plans for 2025 in this article.

આગામી સુનાવણી તારીખો

વર્તમાન અને આગામી સુનાવણી તારીખો નીચે મુજબ છે:

Every Story Matters Vaccines record 

On Tuesday 14 January, the Inquiry published its second Every Story Matters record on Vaccines and Therapeutics. The record details the impact of the pandemic on people’s lives in relation to the Module 4 investigation into Covid-19 vaccines, therapeutics and anti-viral treatment across the UK. Contributors to this document have shared their story with us through દરેક વાર્તા મહત્વની છે, with over 34,500 experiences shared at the time that the record was produced. It has now been entered into evidence for Module 4, and you will see that some of the experiences gathered were directly referred to by Lead Counsel to the Inquiry, at the start of Module 4’s hearings today.

The record explores various themes relating to Covid-19 vaccines such as:

• how people felt informed about the vaccine, its safety and its effects
• how people made their vaccination decisions
• how people experienced the vaccine rollout
• awareness and understanding of eligibility of therapeutics for Covid-19 amongst clinically vulnerable contributors.

Awareness and understanding of eligibility of therapeutics for Covid-19 amongst clinically vulnerable contributors.

I felt pressured to be honest. I didn’t get a letter or a text message. I had a phone call off of one my managers, I think. It was just pressure. It’s not a nice feeling to have – and I don’t think you’d find that in many instances when it to do with your health in general, because you make those decisions by yourself don’t you? You don’t normally have anyone else included.

When it was confirmed that the vaccine was available, the first thing I felt was, personally, it brought me hope, because I was in a hopeless situation at that time, and that’s why I wanted to be first on the list. It felt like there was light at the end of the tunnel, that was very reassuring.

When I got to the centre it was all very well organised and the volunteers and the staff, the nurses, doctors,  they were all so helpful and cheerful which was really good. There was no sense of doom really. It was like, you’re all here for this vaccination and we’ll just get on with it.

My staff felt very undervalued when they were not eligible initially for the vaccine

As carers, why weren’t we vaccinated at the same time as the people that we’re looking after?

Above: quotes from contributors to the Every Story Matters: Vaccines and Therapeutics record (a frontline worker, a clinically vulnerable contributor, a member of the general public, a school teacher and a carer).

The Inquiry would like to thank all individuals and organisations who supported us as we gathered experiences from across the UK. 

You can read more about the Every Story Matters: Vaccines and Therapeutics record in this news story અમારી વેબસાઇટ પર.

દરેક વાર્તા સાર્વજનિક ઘટનાઓને મહત્વ આપે છે

દરેક વાર્તા મહત્વની છે remains open for anyone to share their story with the Inquiry to help us understand the full impact of the pandemic. 

Our Every Story Matters public events have seen us visit 25 different towns and cities, across the four nations of the UK. As we enter now the final phase for our public events, the team will be making visits to Manchester, Bristol and Swansea this February to hear from communities about their experiences from the pandemic in-person. More details below:

You can find more information about our events on our website.

Our public events are open to everyone and do not require prior registration – simply turn up on the day. If you have any questions regarding our public events, please get in touch by emailing engagement@covid19.public-inquiry.uk. 

For those who do not wish to share their story in person at an event, you can still take part in Every Story Matters by sharing your experiences through our online form, which will remain open for submissions.

Covid-19 Day of Reflection

This year will mark the fifth anniversary of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and represents a significant milestone as we continue to remember all those affected.  

On Sunday 9th March 2025, communities across the UK will come together in a Day of Reflection for the Covid-19 pandemic to commemorate those who lost their lives and honour the work of health and social care staff, frontline workers, researchers and all those who volunteered and showed acts of kindness during this unprecedented time. 

The pandemic impacted us all in different ways, which is why on the day itself and in the week before, the public will be able to mark the day in ways that feel most appropriate and fitting to them, both in person and online. 

There are lots of ways you can take part in the Day of Reflection, whether it’s organising your own get together, joining in a local event or remembering in your own way at home. 

You can find out more information about the Covid-19 Day of Reflection and search for events taking place near you by visiting the website. 

We understand that for many people, thinking or talking about the Covid-19 pandemic can bring back some difficult and upsetting memories. Emotional support services are available through the Inquiry’s website and include a list of organisations who can provide further support on different issues, if needed.

Above: Image of the National Covid Memorial Wall in London. Photo by Kush Rattan Photography.