Boris Johnson's four-day absence from official duties in February 2020 has raised eyebrows as the UK was bracing for a potentially catastrophic Covid outbreak. The former prime minister spent his time off attending to leisure activities at Chevening, a governmental estate in Kent, where he walked his dog and took motorcycle rides. His account of working throughout this period appears to be contradicted by official activity logs.
The details of Johnson's time off were revealed in an official government document, which shows that he did not engage in any official business between February 14th and 24th, despite the growing Covid threat. The British government was briefed on a new cluster of cases in northern Italy during this period, with officials expressing concerns that the virus could no longer be contained.
NHS England had warned that the NHS would become "overwhelmed" if significant interventions were not made to flatten the curve, but lockdown measures were not implemented until later. Johnson's lack of engagement on these issues has been described as a "lost month" in the country's crisis response by the Covid inquiry.
Johnson's activities during this period included hosting friends and family for lunches, dinners, and overnight stays, while also enjoying leisure activities such as biking and shopping. He only worked on ministerial boxes for about 90 minutes before returning to Chevening, despite concerns from the government's chief medical officer that the outbreak could escalate into a global pandemic.
The Covid inquiry has concluded that the UK's response to the virus was "too little, too late" and that lockdown measures were introduced just in time. The report highlights Johnson's failure to take the pandemic seriously enough during this period, with families of those who died from the virus calling for accountability.
Johnson declined to comment on the revelations, but his actions have been widely criticized by those who claim he prioritized his personal interests over the public health crisis. The reports raise questions about Johnson's level of engagement and commitment to addressing the pandemic, and whether his actions contributed to the tragic loss of life that occurred as a result of Covid-19 in the UK.
The details of Johnson's time off were revealed in an official government document, which shows that he did not engage in any official business between February 14th and 24th, despite the growing Covid threat. The British government was briefed on a new cluster of cases in northern Italy during this period, with officials expressing concerns that the virus could no longer be contained.
NHS England had warned that the NHS would become "overwhelmed" if significant interventions were not made to flatten the curve, but lockdown measures were not implemented until later. Johnson's lack of engagement on these issues has been described as a "lost month" in the country's crisis response by the Covid inquiry.
Johnson's activities during this period included hosting friends and family for lunches, dinners, and overnight stays, while also enjoying leisure activities such as biking and shopping. He only worked on ministerial boxes for about 90 minutes before returning to Chevening, despite concerns from the government's chief medical officer that the outbreak could escalate into a global pandemic.
The Covid inquiry has concluded that the UK's response to the virus was "too little, too late" and that lockdown measures were introduced just in time. The report highlights Johnson's failure to take the pandemic seriously enough during this period, with families of those who died from the virus calling for accountability.
Johnson declined to comment on the revelations, but his actions have been widely criticized by those who claim he prioritized his personal interests over the public health crisis. The reports raise questions about Johnson's level of engagement and commitment to addressing the pandemic, and whether his actions contributed to the tragic loss of life that occurred as a result of Covid-19 in the UK.
I'm so worried about Boris Johnson's actions during the Covid outbreak 
. It sounds like he was more concerned with taking leisurely rides on his motorcycle than addressing the growing crisis 
. A "lost month" indeed! 
How could he not take this seriously, considering the NHS was warning of an impending disaster? 
His prioritization over public health is just heartbreaking 
. I hope those who lost loved ones to Covid-19 can find some sense of justice and accountability in the inquiry's findings 
. We need leaders who put people over personal interests 
.
what was Boris thinking?! He was literally at a governmental estate with his dog and motorcycle while the country was freaking out about a potential pandemic 
! And now it's all coming back to haunt him, with families of those who died from Covid-19 demanding accountability 
His actions (or lack thereof) have definitely raised some eyebrows 
, and I'm not surprised he declined to comment 
. He should've been all about flattening the curve and saving lives, but noooo... personal interests first, right? 
Not cool, Boris! 
This whole situation with Boris Johnson's absence during the COVID outbreak is just mind-boggling. I mean, can you imagine not taking the growing pandemic threat seriously enough and then trying to downplay it afterwards? It's like he was on vacation mode while the rest of the country was bracing for impact. 
I'm not buying his claims that he was working throughout this period - it just doesn't add up. The fact that he spent his time off hosting friends, shopping, and biking is just ridiculous. What about all those lives at risk? It's like he put his personal interests above public health. 
! I mean, come on, with Italy having all these new cases and everyone's worried about Covid... and he's out biking and shopping? 
That "lost month" is literally going to be remembered for the rest of his career. And what really gets me is that NHS England was already warning about the NHS being overwhelmed, but still no lockdowns until later 
! Johnson's actions are just so... so... reckless 
. I mean, come on, who takes a motorcycle ride and hosts friends for dinner during a pandemic? It just seems like a really bad look, you know? And now we're hearing that this 'lost month' of inaction might have cost lives... it's hard to see how someone could make such a huge mistake without realizing the gravity of the situation. 
I think we need some answers here, and not just about what Johnson did during that time off, but also about how he handled the crisis afterwards. It's all really frustrating.
this is just devastating reading on Boris Johnson's complete lack of urgency during one of the darkest moments for the UK... i mean, who prioritizes leisure activities over public health? 
LIKE WHAT KIND OF LEADER DOES THAT?!?! I MEAN I KNOW WE CAN'T BLAME HIM FOR EVERYTHING, BUT COME ON, BIKING AND SHOPPING WHILE THE NHS WAS OVERWHELMED WITH PATIENTS IS JUST SICKENING!!! 
And to think he was out here enjoying his leisure activities while the NHS was warning us all about an "overwhelmed" system 
.