The Dominic Cummings scandal became the center of UK political controversy when he traveled across the country during the strict pandemic lockdown. At the time, he defended himself saying he was testing if his eyesight was still good for a long drive. This scandal is just the tipping point to addressing some of the UK's public health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opposing politicians have been vocal about expecting Mr. Cumming's resignation since the incident while the senior government employee believed that his reasonable actions were within the law.
Mr. Cummings is Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief advisor. Their fight for 'Get Brexit Done,' gave their Conservative party their biggest win since 1987 elections. Former PM David Cameron had described him as a 'career psychopath,' yet Mr. Cummings is not a voted member of parliament.
Members of the Conservatives view him 'as a divisive figure within the party' while Mr. Cumming's ideas have made its way into government agenda. He was a key advisor for the government's coronavirus strategy, including strict lockdown guidelines.
At the end of March, Mr. Cummings drove from London to England, about 260 miles, on his wife's birthday. He brought his family to his parent's farm while his wife was unwell. He also got sick and they believe that it was coronavirus.
In April, he was seen in a town 30 minutes away from the farm. When asked, he said that he wanted to test if his eyes were damaged by the virus he contracted.
The British public went wild since he helped draft the government's message to stay home. A scientific advisor and medical officer were both forced to step down in the UK for breaking lockdown rules while Mr. Johnson defended Mr. Cumming's actions.
Controversial 'Facts'
The controversy only sparked questions regarding COVID-19 pandemic facts and policies as distributed by the government and scientific centers such as Imperial College, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and even Oxford University. Some 'facts' just didn't seem to add up to the public.
The World Health Organization (WHO) gave general instructions to test as many people as possible while the government explained that it was irrelevant and was only applicable for underdeveloped countries. The truth was that due to failed National Health Service (NHS) reforms in 2013, Public Health England no longer had the capacity to test and trace the public's health.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies were also not maintained by the government. The virus was downgraded to 'Haz Group 3' from 'High Consequence Infectious Disease' despite the increasing number of cases.
Then, thousands of infected patients were discharged into care homes. Statistics in late April showed that 5,890 died in a week, almost 100% more than the number of deaths the week before. The government dismissed the issue as a misrepresentation and misunderstanding.
Proud History of Public Health
The origins of public health in the UK are a rich part of their history. About 150 years ago, a cholera epidemic resulted in William Henry Duncan as the world's first Medical Officer of Health in 1847.
In 1980, Chief Medical Officer Sir Donald Acheson reiterated Charles Winslow's words describing epidemiology as: 'The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting physical health and efficiency through organized community efforts for the sanitation of the environment, the education of the individual in principles of personal hygiene, the organization of medical service for the early diagnosis and treatment of disease, and the development of the social machinery which will ensure to every individual in the community a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of health.'
