Boris Johnson’s description of lengthy Covid as “bollocks” left specialists shocked, saddened and angered, the inquiry into the pandemic within the UK has heard.
A doc from October 2020 described signs of the situation, beside which the then-prime minister wrote “bollocks” and “that is Gulf Struggle Syndrome”.
An analogous sentiment was repeated by Mr Johnson in a WhatsApp message 4 months later, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry heard.
Professor Chris Brightling, professor of respiratory medication, and Dr Rachael Evansclinical affiliate professor and honorary advisor respiratory doctor, each on the College of Leicester, informed of their disappointment on the situation apparently being dismissed at such a excessive stage.
Giving proof on Friday, Prof Brightling stated: “I’m deeply saddened and intensely indignant on the identical time.
“There are folks on this room, there are people who find themselves watching who’ve both suffered with lengthy Covid themselves or their family members had lengthy Covid, and I might be shocked if there are folks on this room who don’t not less than know anyone who’s had lengthy Covid.”
He went on to query whether or not Mr Johnson was saying “bollocks to the science”, which he stated was “clearly flawed as a result of the science was already fairly compelling that this was an issue”.
Prof Brightling added: “Is it bollocks to the sufferers as a result of he truly didn’t actually really feel that they deserved a voice?”
A WhatsApp message in February 2021 from Mr Johnson was additionally referred to, saying “Do we actually imagine in lengthy Covid? Why can’t we hedge it extra? I wager it’s full Gulf Struggle Syndrome stuff.”
Prof Brightling stated the feedback and the very fact Mr Johnson’s view appeared to not change because the pandemic went on was “one more unbelievable factor that occurred”.
He added: “We don’t understand how a lot this influenced the exercise from Governmentand what Authorities then did. However you’d count on if the prime minister’s view was such it could properly have had an affect on different folks in Authorities.”
Dr Evans stated the situation is “a really actual phenomenon”.
Requested for her response to Mr Johnson’s phrases, she stated: “It’s surprising and simply past disappointing, and I nonetheless really feel very emotive while you see it as a result of clearly we’ve acquired folks right here, as Chris has stated, which are dwelling by this totally dreadful sickness.”
She added: “To see that your personal Prime Minister has written one thing like that, I simply can’t start to suppose how folks dwelling by it really feel.
“And truly, as clinicians and researchers, we have been already feeding again very clear descriptions of what this sickness appeared like, even when we didn’t know precisely what was the reason for it and all the remainder of it. It was a really actual and is a really actual phenomenon.”
Anthony Metzer KC, talking on behalf of Lengthy Covid Youngsters, Lengthy Covid SOS and Lengthy Covid Assist, beforehand informed the inquiry that Mr Johnson initially “denied the reality” of the struggling of lengthy Covid sufferers.
He stated: “The UK’s senior most decision-makers have been dismissing, diminishing and disbelieving the very existence and threat of lengthy Covid.”