Covid UK: Independent investigation will explore impact of quarantines on mental health and youth

The highly anticipated Covid No10 investigation will examine how severely the blockades are affecting the country’s mental health and children.

Authorities announced today that the scope of the independent investigation will be expanded to include the wider impact of the pandemic restrictions.

It was feared that the investigation would fall into the same trap as previous reports that focused directly on lives lost due to Covid, and stipulated that the UK should be jailed for longer.

Since then, data have been collected showing that the benefits of blockades have been exaggerated and the broader effects underestimated.

Baroness Heather Hallett is chairing the investigation, which currently covers 26 issues. It will have the power to summon witnesses, including the Prime Minister, to testify.

After seeing more than 20,000 responses to the initial commission offer last month, the main complaint was that they were too limited.

The study will now also examine the unequal impact of the pandemic on cooperation between ethnic minorities and local governments.

Children have suffered major disruptions in their education during the pandemic, although they are at negligible risk from the virus.

Psychiatrists have described the pandemic as the “biggest blow” to mental health in generations, after a record 4.3 million mental health applications in 2021.

In a letter to Boris Johnson today, Baroness Hallett called for the job description to be expanded to include children and youth, including its impact on health, well-being and social care.

He also said he needed to look at the “mental health effects” and well-being of the British population.

The letter states that cooperation between authorities and charities in the four UK countries should also be covered by the investigation.

Baroness Hallett also called for greater attention to home care services, support for victims of domestic violence and first contact with the NHS, including services 111 and 999.

Other topics currently covered include government preparedness, testing, borders, infection control in hospitals and nursing homes, personal protective equipment, vaccinations, leave and sickness pay.

Baroness Hallett, a former Supreme Court judge who has also been involved in other public inquiries, decided to expand the investigation after meeting with more than 150 close relatives and organizations during a four-week consultation.

He said the process “shows people’s passion to be a part of research and their willingness to work with me to ensure valuable lessons are learned.”

He added that people have expressed concern about the “unequal impact of the pandemic”, so inequalities need to be “at the forefront” of the investigation.

The investigation, which should begin in the coming months, will have the authority to summon witnesses, including the prime minister, to testify.

It has been tasked with examining the UK’s response to the pandemic in order to ensure the country learns “the right lessons for the future”.

Those involved in the investigation will examine millions of documents related to the pandemic.

Last month, activists demanded that “any rule-breaking by policy-makers” be investigated as part of the investigation.

Families of Grief for Justice (BFJ) said “any rule violations by policymakers” should be investigated. This includes all ministers who “break their own restraint rules”.