COVID-19: Financial impacts of pandemic need more emphasis
30 March 2020
Professor Adrian Bell, Research Dean for Prosperity and Resilience at the University of Reading, said:
“The blame game continues. The Government used the weekend briefings to deflect any criticism of a lack of preparedness by blaming others for our current problems - namely the public, wonky emails and now China.
“Questions were asked about why previous failed stress tests had not led to anything concrete, why the warning signs from December onwards did not lead to stock piling of PPE and Ventilators, and even why a number of members of the Cabinet had not followed their own social distancing rules when meeting in the Houses of Parliament last week.
"The Government needs to put more emphasis on the financial impacts of this pandemic. The support for workers and business thus far has been welcome, but some ideas about how we will exit the lockdown and how we will begin to pay for these bailouts would be welcome.
“As well as the cost in lives, this pandemic will cripple economies around the world. The public needs more information on future financial solutions and to see the Government owning this problem rather than expending energy avoiding criticism."