Emergency services teams, local councils and government officials will take part in a comprehensive, multi-day pandemic preparedness exercise, to help the UK prepare for potential future threats.
Minister Pat McFadden has announced that the test, which is expected to take place in the autumn, will involve thousands of people in different parts of the UK.
The plans come in response to the first set of recommendations made by the Covid-19 Inquiry – an ongoing public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic.
The head of the inquiry, Baroness Hallett, found that the UK was “ill-prepared” for the coronavirus pandemic, and was “failing” its citizens.
The government says the national pandemic response exercise will be the first of its kind in nearly a decade, designed to test capabilities, plans and procedures in the face of new threats.
The findings and lessons will be made public, as requested by Baroness Hallett, who made a series of recommendations in one. A 217-page report Published in July 2023.
Another initiative later this year will be a full test of the emergency alert system – which sounds the alarm via a mobile phone.
The alert has been used four times since its launch in 2023, including in areas hardest hit by recent storms.
The government has also committed to training 4,000 people a year to be better prepared for crises such as pandemics, through the UK Resilience Academy, which is planned to open in April.
The CoVID-19 inquiry report found that the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups.
Mr McFadden says a new national “vulnerability map” will be developed, to highlight populations that may be vulnerable in a crisis, based on age, disability, race and having someone to care for or care for. Using data from no
It is designed to help people get more targeted local support.
Mr McFadden said: “We must learn from the Covid pandemic, because we cannot afford to make the same mistakes again.
“But we will plan in such a way that we recognize the next crisis will not be the same as the last.”
Pandemic planning and resilience is also about ensuring that our nation’s fundamentals are strong, he added.
Baroness Hallett’s first report calls for a major overhaul of the systems involved in preparing the country for civil emergencies.
It also pointed out that resilience is lacking in the UK, with high rates of poor health and public services running close to – if not over – capacity.