New biothreats radar amid warnings Covid vaccine prep ‘dismantled’
Government ministers are set to launch a new biothreats radar programme to guard the UK against disease outbreaks, bio-attacks and antimicrobial resistance.
Pandemic preparedness, data monitoring and boosting the UK’s life sciences sector with £1.5bn a year are also priorities for the unit, set to be run by the National Situation Centre.
Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said: “Covid was the biggest peacetime challenge in a century, and we must be diligent in preparing for future threats on this scale.
“This plan and our £1.5bn investment per year puts us in a strong position to defeat the biological threats of tomorrow – from diseases to bioweapons and antimicrobial resistance.”
It comes as former Covid vaccine taskforce chairman Dr Clive Dix issued a stark warning that ministers had “systematically dismantled” critical vaccine plans made during the crisis.
Covid ‘complacency’?
He told the Observer abandoning the schemes left the UK “fraught with danger” while there was complacency that mRNA technology would be a “golden bullet” in future pandemics.
The UK’s official Covid inquiry will begin hearing evidence on pandemic preparedness this week, amid a legal row between chairman Baroness Heather Hallett, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former PM Boris Johnson over evidence disclosures including WhatsApp texts.
The bio-radar will aim to centralise data from government, independent advisors and global experts to offer a “comprehensive” picture of known and developing biological threats
It forms part of a new bio security strategy, published today, to bolster Britain’s guardrails against bio-attacks, terrorism and diseases to 2030 at a cost of £1.5bn plus per year.
Dowden said the approach was “strong and ambitious” adding that it “harnesses the sheer ingenuity of the UK’s researchers and scientists, and deploys our world-class crisis management capabilities to protect the people of the UK”.
‘Biosecure future’
Other commitments in the strategy include creating a nationwide biosurveillance network and a biosecurity task force; founding a UK biosecurity leadership council; developing new microbial forensics tools; and partnering with industry on vaccine and diagnostics initiatives.
It comes after Sunak’s recent visit to Washington DC, which saw him meet with US president Joe Biden and reaffirm the two nations’ bilateral work on health and biosecurity.
Dame Jennie Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said the strategy and “commitment to developing a biosecure future” would strengthen the UK.
“With partners in industry and academia, UKHSA will work across government to ensure that through improving the UK’s pandemic preparedness, we keep the public safe,” she added.
Labour has been contacted for comment.