Revealed: UK ministers were warned last year of risks of coronavirus pandemic

Briefing, which recommended stockpiling PPE among other measures, intensifies focus on No 10’s handling of outbreak

• Leaked briefing on UK pandemic threat – key points
• What report tells us about UK’s preparations
• See all our coronavirus coverage

Ministers were warned last year the UK must have a robust plan to deal with a pandemic virus and its potentially catastrophic social and economic consequences in a confidential Cabinet Office briefing leaked to the Guardian.

The detailed document warned that even a mild pandemic could cost tens of thousands of lives, and set out the must-have “capability requirements” to mitigate the risks to the country, as well as the potential damage of not doing so.

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