NI chief medical officer rejects claim of ‘air of unreality' at pandemic's start
The exchange came during Sir Michael's final appearance at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Thursday.
The long-running inquiry is currently looking at adult and residential care as part of its scrutiny of the response to the pandemic.
It was put to Sir Michael that during a meeting in March 2020, Mr Lynch felt there was an 'an air of unreality', that scenes from Italy of old people dying, 'won't happen here'.
Sir Michael said: 'I fail to understand those comments if I'm really honest.'
He said it related to a meeting on March 13, which he described as 'part of a series of meetings which reflected the seriousness of the impending situation'.
'So in that series of meetings that day, I met with all the trade unions, I met with primary care representatives and secondary care representatives.
'I met with the Department of Communities and Local Government, and explained the evolving situation and the seriousness of this.
'This was about communicating to the system in Northern Ireland, not just health and social care, but right across other government departments as well, what we were about to face into.
'So I really don't understand any sense of unreality or lack of urgency.'
He said he met Health and Social Care on February 11 and asked them to draw up plans for a surge, which he said he was 'fully anticipating', and had been attending meetings of Cobra, with the UK Government and Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies).
'There was no sense of unreality in terms of what we were facing into at all,' he said.
'Within days, we had introduced, on March 16, social distancing, working from home, advising people not to go to pubs and restaurants.
'So I really don't understand that reflection.'
Sir Michael also spoke about a shortage of Covid tests.
It was put to him that in the first interim protocol for testing, which came out on March 19, frontline clinical workers were included in the priority for being tested, but not care home workers.
He said: 'Frankly, we didn't have enough tests. It was simply that.
'We had just moved from the contain to the delay phase on March 12.
'We had stopped contact tracing because we didn't have enough tests to continue that, and we had to prioritise what tests we had for those people who were in hospital, either requiring ventilation like pneumonia.
'The management tried to protect individuals who may have been in contact with them in hospital, and to ensure that we were able to support those staff who were providing care for them, so it wasn't anything other than the fact we simply did not have the tests that we needed.'
Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett thanked Sir Michael for his evidence.
'Whatever findings I make, I don't think anybody disputes how much pressure you and your colleagues were under and the efforts you went to to try and protect as many people as possible.
'So thank you very much for what you did, and thank you very much for your help with the inquiry.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
One year old 'wonder boy' wey bite cobra snake to death
Dis one year old boy don turn local celeb afta tori comot say im bite poisonous cobra snake to death for July 24. Little Govind Kumar bin dey play for im family garden for Mohchi Bankatwa for Bihar state India, wey dey close to border wit Nepal wen im see di snake. "Im mama bin dey work for di back garden,' na so im grandma Matisari Devi tok. "E catch di snake and use teeth bite am. We come notice say na cobra snake" na so Govind loose consciousness dat time, im family rush am go local hospital. "Wen we admit di child, im face bin swell up especially im mouth side," na wetin Dr Kumar Saurabh tok. Im be di doctor wey treat Govind for Goment Medical College for Bettiah wey be capital of Bihar. E tok say dat same day im also treat anoda pikin wey cobra snake bite. Say both pikins now dey healthy. Dr Saurabh explain say though di two cases dey harmful to humans, one dey much more dangerous. "Wen cobra bite human, im venom dey enta human bloodstream and cause neurotoxicity wey dey affect our nervous system. Dis fit lead to death," na so e tell BBC. "Wen humun bite cobra, di poison go reach our digestive system. Di human body go neutralize am and di poison go pass through." Na wetin Dr Saurabh tok. E add say e for dey worst if to say di pikin get bleeding points for im digestive tract. India na home to nearly 300 snake species and more dan 60 of dem get venom and cobra dey considered as one of di most dangerous among dem. Dem don mark di kontri as 'di snakebite capital of di world" and di rate of death by snakebites don increase due to di Monsoon season. World Health Organization (WHO) estimate say around 81,000 to 130,000 pipo dey die sake of snake bites worldwide evri year. Between 2000 and 2019, average of 58,000 pipo dey die of snake bites for India per year according to WHO. But di number of deaths wey snakebite cause for di kontri still dey widely underreported sake of lack of access to medical care for areas wia di incidents dey happun, according to India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Anti-vax' Cambridge graduate, 23, died after refusing chemotherapy for ‘treatable' cancer
'Practically fanatical about my health, my close friends know me as a staunch advocate for all proven natural healing,' Paloma said in a statement read out in court PALOMA Shemirani, who died after refusing treatment for her "treatable" cancer, told a court she was "anti-vax", an inquest has heard. The 23-year-old University of Cambridge graduate said she always turned to her mother, conspiracy theorist Kate Shemirani, first for health advice. Advertisement 6 Paloma Shemirani was diagnosed with 'treatable' non-Hodgkin lymphoma two years ago 6 Her mother, Kay 'Kate' Shemirani, rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories Credit: Alamy The young woman was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2023 - a type of blood cancer which starts in the lymph nodes. At the time, doctors told Paloma she had an 80 per cent chance of recovery with chemotherapy. However, she declined the treatment and suffered a fatal heart attack just months later, caused by her tumour at the Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) on 24 July last year. Kate, or "Kay" Shemirani, rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories, the inquest at Oakwood House in Maidstone, Kent, heard previously. Advertisement In written statements submitted to the family division of the High Court in Spring 2024, Paloma said she declined chemotherapy partly because of her "background in natural healing", the inquest heard on Monday. The proceedings, which involved the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, were on the appropriateness of her care. Paloma said she was "delighted" with her alternative treatment and "sure" she would "make a full recovery" if left to continue it, the inquest was told. She also claimed her human rights had been violated by NHS practitioners in the statements, which were read by lawyer Alison Hewitt. Advertisement Kay, who attended the inquest via video link, weeped and held pictures of Paloma to the camera as they were read. It said: "I am far from being a vulnerable young adult. Son of anti-vax nurse being probed by cops for comparing NHS medics to Nazis slams 'arrogant' mum "Apart from becoming independent after I moved to Cambridge for university, I have practised the same principles that I grew up with. "I have always been extremely health conscious: sticking to all-organic produce, I prepare all my own meals and I absolutely do not drink or cook with tap water. Advertisement "I have never taken drugs, despite pressure to, and I rarely drink alcohol. "If I became ill, I've always turned to my mum first for advice as she is a trained nurse and qualified nutritionist. "Practically fanatical about my health, my close friends know me as a staunch advocate for all proven natural healing". She also described her mother as "an extremely forceful advocate for natural health" who is "misquoted" by people claiming "those natural solutions are conspiratorial". Advertisement 6 Kent and Medway Coroner Service in Oakwood House Credit: PA 6 'I am far from being a vulnerable young adult,' the Cambrige grad said in a statement, read out after her death 6 Coroner Catherine Wood reprimanded Kay multiple times during proceedings Credit: Getty Kay was struck off as a nurse in 2021, with a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee finding that she had spread Covid-19 misinformation that "put the public at a significant risk of harm", the inquest heard previously. Advertisement Paloma's brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian, claim she was influenced by the beliefs of their mother. Kay blames doctors for her daughter's death. Another statement in Paloma's name added "my friends know me as a staunch advocate of the Gerson therapy" and that she is "anti-vax". She said she had been using Gerson therapy as one mode of treatment on the advice of her mother's ex-fiance, Doctor Patrick Villers, and that at 15 years old she spent three weeks in his camp in Mexico where it was practised. Gerson therapy involves a strict organic vegetarian diet and enemas and has been used in cancer treatment. Advertisement Though Cancer Research UK says that there is no scientific evidence it can be used as a treatment for cancer. Fears of infertility Her GP was also monitoring her blood and progress, she said. The former Cambridge student went on to deny having the disease and said "I was not diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma... I have never had a shadow on my lung, this is absurd fantasy, no proof". She described the diagnosis as "suspected and unconfirmed", and said a "differential diagnosis" only meant cancer could not be ruled out. Advertisement Paloma understood that she had a one in five chance of surviving the commonplace R-CHOP treatment that was offered, and feared it would likely make her infertile, the inquest heard. "I do not want to undergo such a harsh treatment that could even kill me when there is a possibility this is not cancer", she said. The High Court statement alleged multiple violations of human rights in her care, the inquest heard, including Articles 3, 6 and 8 and possibly Articles 1, 5 and 12. "I am so shocked, as are others assisting me, especially my mother, that this could take place today", the statement said. Advertisement "These were put in place forever to prevent what Dr Mengele did in the second world war. How could this happen today?", it continued. Notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele performed experiments on his victims in Auschwitz. 6 Gabriel Shemirani, Paloma's twin brother, blames his mother for his sister's death Credit: PA The patient said symptoms she presented in hospital with - including a swollen face, excruciating chest pain being unable to move her arm - had subsided. Advertisement Questions designed to waste time Coroner Catherine Wood reprimanded Kay multiple times during proceedings. Kay cross-examined Dr Amit Goel, a consultant histopathologist at Maidstone Hospital who carried out a biopsy. She repeatedly put to him that insufficient tissue was taken to carry out a FISH test that could rule out other diseases and alter Paloma's treatment plan. The doctor denied that this would have influenced Paloma's care multiple times. Advertisement The coroner told Kay the inquest is trying to look at "how Paloma came about her death" but "you are apparently trying to get information which is incorrect, factually incorrect, in the statements you are making". "I think your questions are just designed to take up time and delay matters by the way you're asking them repeatedly," she added. The mother accused participants of mis-pronouncing her name. This eventually led Ms Wood to say: "I am going to rise, for Ms Shemirani to reflect on her behaviour in court, this is unacceptable. Advertisement "Let's have a pause for tempers to die down because you are clearly becoming over-fixated on a detail." At the opening of the hearing Kay made an application for a lawyer to recuse herself. To recuse means to step down or be removed from a case due to a possible conflict of interest, bias, or other valid reason. The coroner rejected the application and said had seen the "hundreds of emails that have been sent in" and that "you have requested that everybody recuse themselves at various times", including the coroner herself. Advertisement The inquest continues.
ITV News
7 hours ago
- ITV News
Graduate who died after refusing chemo ‘told court she was anti-vax'
A University of Cambridge graduate who died after refusing chemotherapy told a court that she was 'anti-vax' and always turned to her mother first for health advice, an inquest has heard. Paloma Shemirani, 23, died at Royal Sussex County Hospital on 24 July last year after declining the treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Her mother, Kay 'Kate' Shemirani, rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories, the inquest at Oakwood House in Maidstone, Kent, heard previously. In written statements submitted to the family division of the High Court in Spring 2024, Paloma said she declined chemotherapy partly because of her 'background in natural healing', the inquest heard on Monday. The proceedings, which involved the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, were on the appropriateness of her care and Paloma said she was 'delighted' with her alternative treatment and 'sure' she would 'make a full recovery' if left to continue it, the inquest was told. She also claimed her human rights had been violated by NHS practitioners in the statements, which were read by lawyer Alison Hewitt. Ms Kay Shemirani, who attended the inquest via video link, weeped and held pictures of Paloma to the camera as they were read. The statements read: 'I am far from being a vulnerable young adult. Apart from becoming independent after I moved to Cambridge for university, I have practised the same principles that I grew up with. 'I have always been extremely health conscious: sticking to all-organic produce, I prepare all my own meals and I absolutely do not drink or cook with tap water. 'I have never taken drugs, despite pressure to, and I rarely drink alcohol. 'If I became ill, I've always turned to my mum first for advice as she is a trained nurse and qualified nutritionist. 'Practically fanatical about my health, my close friends know me as a staunch advocate for all proven natural healing'. She also described her mother as 'an extremely forceful advocate for natural health' who is 'misquoted' by people claiming 'those natural solutions are conspiratorial'. Ms Kay Shemirani was struck off as a nurse in 2021, with a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee finding that she had spread Covid-19 misinformation that 'put the public at a significant risk of harm', the inquest heard previously. Another statement in Paloma's name added: 'my friends know me as a staunch advocate of the Gerson therapy' and that she is 'anti-vax'. She said she had been using Gerson therapy as one mode of treatment on the advice of her mother's ex-fiance, Doctor Patrick Villers, and that at 15 years old she spent three weeks in his camp in Mexico where it was practised. Gerson therapy involves a strict organic vegetarian diet and enemas and has been used in cancer treatment, though Cancer Research UK says that there is no scientific evidence it can be used as a treatment for cancer. Her GP was also monitoring her blood and progress, she said. The former Cambridge student went on to deny having the disease and said 'I was not diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma… I have never had a shadow on my lung, this is absurd fantasy, no proof'. She described the diagnosis as 'suspected and unconfirmed', and said a 'differential diagnosis' only meant cancer could not be ruled out. Paloma understood that she had a one-in-five chance of surviving the commonplace R-CHOP treatment that was offered, and feared it would likely make her infertile, the inquest heard. 'I do not want to undergo such a harsh treatment that could even kill me when there is a possibility this is not cancer', she said. The High Court statement alleged multiple violations of human rights in her care, the inquest heard, including Articles 3, 6 and 8 and possibly Articles 1, 5 and 12. 'I am so shocked, as are others assisting me, especially my mother, that this could take place today', the statement said. 'These were put in place forever to prevent what Dr Mengele did in the second world war. How could this happen today?', it continued. Notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele performed experiments on his victims in Auschwitz. The patient said symptoms she presented in hospital with – including a swollen face, excruciating chest pain being unable to move her arm – had subsided. Coroner Catherine Wood reprimanded Ms Shemirani multiple times during proceedings. Ms Shemirani cross-examined Dr Amit Goel, a consultant histopathologist at Maidstone Hospital who carried out a biopsy. She repeatedly put to him that insufficient tissue was taken to carry out a FISH test that could rule out other diseases and alter Paloma's treatment plan. The doctor denied that this would have influenced Paloma's care multiple times, and the coroner told Ms Shemirani the inquest is trying to look at 'how Paloma came about her death' but 'you are apparently trying to get information which is incorrect, factually incorrect, in the statements you are making'. 'I think your questions are just designed to take up time and delay matters by the way you're asking them repeatedly,' she added. The mother accused participants of mis-pronouncing her name, which eventually led Ms Wood to say: 'I am going to rise, for Ms Shemirani to reflect on her behaviour in court, this is unacceptable. 'Let's have a pause for tempers to die down because you are clearly becoming over-fixated on a detail.' At the opening of the hearing Ms Shemirani made an application for a lawyer to recuse herself. The coroner rejected the application and said had seen the 'hundreds of emails that have been sent in' and that 'you have requested that everybody recuse themselves at various times', including the coroner herself. The inquest continues.
