When Boris Johnson first implored the public to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives, many doctors, nurses and carers lacked the provisions to protect themselves from coronavirus. Shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) not only put key workers at risk but allowed the pandemic to take root in hospital wards and care homes with alarming speed. Some hospitals were forced to fashion makeshift gowns from binbags. When there is a public inquiry these basic failures properly to resource the NHS will be savaged.
While there was little to commend about its immediate response to the pandemic, to blame the government alone for initial difficulties in sourcing PPE is unfair. Ministers cannot be blamed for a global crisis of supply. Nor are they
