UK Covid-19 inquiry delayed by two weeks to respect national mourning period

The UK Covid-19 inquiry has been delayed by two weeks out of respect for the national mourning period following the Queen’s death, officials have said.

The inquiry, which will investigate decisions made by Boris Johnson’s government during the pandemic, was due to begin on September 20, but has been postponed until October 4.

It will begin with a preliminary hearing, which will outline how the inquiry will develop and what it will investigate.

During this hearing, inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett will hold a short period of silence to commemorate the impact of the pandemic on people’s lives.

The first full hearings will focus on early 2020 until the first national lockdown was imposed on March 23 that year.

Later sessions will look into the responses of the Government and devolved administrations.

Witnesses are due to give evidence over the summer, the inquiry has said.

National mourning began the day the Queen died, and continues until the end of the day of the state funeral on September 19.