Sir Chris Whitty says UK faced 'absolutely catastrophic situation' ahead of first Covid lockdown

He said helium agreed with the caller landmark Darzi study that recovered the NHS was near susceptible to the pandemic pursuing a decade-long backing compression nether the Tories

Sir Chris Whitty told the Covid-19 Inquiry Britain had "very low" intensive attraction capableness going into the pandemic.

England’s Chief Medical Officer warned the UK faced an “absolutely catastrophic situation” arsenic it headed towards the archetypal lockdown. Professor Whitty, who is usually cautiously not to criticise politicians, said: “The UK has a precise debased ICU capableness compared with astir of our adjacent nations.

“Now that’s a choice, that’s a governmental choice. Therefore, you person little reserve erstwhile a large exigency happens.”

He said helium agreed with the caller landmark Darzi study that recovered the NHS was near susceptible to the pandemic pursuing the decade-long backing compression nether the Tories.

When asked whether the UK should present bolster furniture and unit numbers successful ICU, Prof Whitty replied: “There are beardown arguments for that.”