Future Pandemic Governance

The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast

In another thought-provoking episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast, your co-hosts Stuart 'The Wildman' Mabbutt and William Mankelow dive deep into another discussion, prompted by a question from listener Gavin, from Grove, Oxfordshire, England.

The question Gavin poses is:

”In the UK there are governmental subcommittees reviewing the benefits and costs of decisions made around the Covid-19 science during the pandemic in the UK. Its hard to do this when using hindsight as the decisions our government and other world governments made were done in real time, with less information. If decisions had been made with the benefit of the hindsight we’d have now, would the experience have been any better? Is this review an impossible task?”

Stuart kicks off the conversation by reflecting on the Scottish government's response to the pandemic, pointing out that criticisms have emerged, suggesting a need for a more people-focused approach, rather than just infection rate-focused decisions. He highlights the inherent challenge governments face in real-time assessments of the impact of their choices on the public and emphasises the importance of proactive support measures.

However, William provides a fresh perspective, shifting the conversation from what should have been done to, what we can and should do in the future. He acknowledges the value of hindsight, but also its limitations, arguing that the review is a vital tool for shaping responses to future pandemics.

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