In January 2020, a group of tourists from Wuhan, China who visited Co Antrim before heading to Dublin effectively quashed the notion that the Covid-19 pandemic posed no danger, according to evidence presented at a public inquiry. The national investigation into the pandemic has been taking place in Belfast from the previous week. On Tuesday, it was informed that a public health officer was sent to give guidance and verify the group’s health, with the first and deputy first ministers getting briefed by the Health Minister.
Richard Pengelly, the former permanent secretary of the Northern Ireland Department of Health during the outbreak, was cross-examined regarding the region’s pandemic readiness and whether authorities thought it could be controlled. An internal civil servant communiqué exposed the visit, and was shown to the inquiry. The message was delivered on 25th January 2020, a month prior to Northern Ireland’s first Covid-19 case.
The communique read, “Chinese tourists from Wuhan have journeyed in by bus from Scotland and have reached Larne”, they will stay overnight here, go sightseeing today and travel to Dublin in the evening.” It was further stated that someone from the PHA would be assigned by the DOH to give advice to the group and monitor their health; however, the chief medical officer was not apprehensive.
Mr Pengelly stated the group showed no symptoms and there were no possible interventions at that point, and so, the guests journeyed to Dublin the following morning. Clair Dobbin KC, chief legal advisor for the inquiry, proposed to Mr Pengelly that the idea that the pandemic was not a threat to Northern Ireland was firmly dismissed at that time. Pengelly agreed. Baroness Hallett, chairwoman of the inquiry, questioned Mr Pengelly regarding the foresight of those in power in the wake of statements that China would contain the outbreak or a global pandemic would occur, whilst having knowledge of Wuhan visitors travelling within Northern Ireland.
Mr Pengelly acknowledged that the assessment that the pandemic wouldn’t be limited to China was a “fair evaluation”. He also admitted that this understanding should’ve been developed in January rather than February. He confirmed that preparations had begun in January on that premise.
Reflecting on Northern Ireland’s preparedness, he stated that they were ill-prepared to face the pandemic. The workforce had been overworked and the local health services were not as efficient as they could have been. The absence of an Executive from 2017 to 2020 further compounded the problems.
Mr Pengelly felt that the existence of an Executive in the past three years would have significantly improved the situation, despite not being flawless, as they entered the pandemic.
Presenting evidence at the Covid-19 inquiry, the region’s chief scientific adviser, Prof Ian Young, highlighted a gap in the early response to the pandemic, as his role was temporarily uncovered till he returned from vacation on March 23rd.
According to Ms Dobbin, it was his return that kick-started many critical elements of the pandemic response, including the implementation of modelling capacity in Northern Ireland.
Amidst the immense pressure, Prof Young argued it was unfeasible to attend to every detail. When Ms Dobbin queried the inability to collaborate on a joint pandemic model with the neighbouring jurisdiction, Prof Young clarified that while there were talks with the Republic of Ireland, merging the data wouldn’t have been beneficial, and possibly misleading, because of the differences.
In his perspective, the pandemic’s progression was somewhat homogeneous across Ireland, although more research is crucial to substantiate this correlation. However, Sinn Féin announced on Tuesday that the Economy Minister, Conor Murphy – serving as Finance Minister during the Covid-19 crisis – won’t be able to attend the inquiry planned for Wednesday due to health concerns. First Minister Michelle O’Neill, the vice-president of the party, declared in an official statement that Mr Murphy has been suggested to take a rest while awaiting medical examinations. Mr Murphy was not present at the Assembly to address an economic motion on Tuesday.