Live Update: Johnson Reveals How Children Bore a ‘Huge Price’ to Shield Society During the Pandemic

Covid inquiry live: children paid ‘huge price’ to protect rest of society in pandemic, says Johnson

The former prime minister expresses regret that an alternative approach to school closures could not be identified.

In his testimony, Boris Johnson offers insight into the rationale behind shutting down educational institutions during the pandemic. He explains:

“At the time, the impact of the virus on children was largely unknown. We had limited understanding of how easily it spread, and many factors were uncertain, making it challenging to devise effective strategies. The situation was evolving rapidly.”

He continues, “From the perspective of Downing Street, our priority was to prevent a devastating public health emergency. Efforts were concentrated on securing sufficient ventilators and personal protective equipment, and minimizing fatalities. It’s crucial for the inquiry to recognize that when school closures were first proposed, they were intended as a measure to be implemented at the pandemic’s peak-a point we believed had not yet been reached.”