Resilience and preparedness (Module 1)


Module 1 opened on 21 July 2022 and looked into the UK’s resilience and preparedness for the pandemic. It considered whether the pandemic was properly planned for and whether the UK was ready for that eventuality. This module touched on the whole system of civil emergencies including resourcing, risk management and pandemic readiness. It scrutinised government decision-making relating to planning and produced a set of recommendations.

The report for this module was published on 18 July 2024. It examines the state of the United Kingdom’s central structures and procedures for pandemic emergency preparedness, resilience and response.

On 17 January 2025 the Inquiry Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett, provided an update following receipt of governments’ responses:

On 18 July 2024, I published my first report for Module 1, which examined the United Kingdom’s resilience and preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the report I set out a series of findings and recommendations which were put to the four governments of the United Kingdom - the United Kingdom government itself, and the three devolved administrations.

I set a deadline of six months for them to respond from the date of the report’s publication. Yesterday all four governments met my deadline and their responses have been published on the Inquiry’s website. I will be carefully considering all of their responses in the coming days.

Chair of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, Baroness Hallett