Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry

@covid19inquiry.scot

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The official Bluesky account for the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry. Investigating aspects of the devolved strategic response to the pandemic. https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/

Students from Heriot-Watt University standing with Ian Duddy, Chief Executive of the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry
Professor Nicole Busby is Professor of Human Rights, Equality and Justice at the University of Glasgow. They have over 30 years of experience focused on EU law, labour law, equality law, and human rights. She holds a PhD in Law, with a specialism in EU and UK sex equality law. She has held key advisory roles and currently serves on the Scottish Government’s Human Rights Incorporation and Implementation Oversight Board.
Professor James Wilson is Professor of Philosophy at University College London, specialising in the ethical and philosophical dimensions of public health and public policy. He has served on the English National Data Guardian’s Panel of Advisers since 2016, contributing ethical guidance on health data, including during the pandemic. This included roles on the NHS COVID-19 App Ethics Advisory Board and as co-investigator on the UK Pandemic Ethics Accelerator.
Lord Jonathan Sumption is a former Justice of the UK Supreme Court (2012–2018) and previously practised in commercial and public law. A former history fellow at Magdalen College, Oxford, he has written extensively on European history. He delivered the 2019 BBC Reith Lectures on “Law and the Decline of Politics” and was a prominent commentator on the legal and ethical implications of non-pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Heymann is a USA-trained medical doctor and medical epidemiologist. From 1989 to 2009, he held leadership roles at WHO, including establishing the emerging infectious diseases programme, leading the global SARS-CoV-1 response in 2003, overseeing polio eradication efforts, and serving as Assistant Director-General for Health Security. He later served as Chair of the UK Health Protection Agency and Public Health England. He has held his professorship at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine since 2009.
Professor Gupta specialises in the dynamics of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infectious diseases. With a strong track record in applying theoretical models to public health, she has been a prominent critic of nationwide lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, instead advocating for a targeted strategy now referred to as 'State Supported Individual Risk Reduction'. Their perspectives have been widely published in mainstream media and presented in public forums, contributing to growing recognition of alternative approaches to pandemic response.
Anders Tegnell is former state epidemiologist in Sweden and now serves as a senior expert at the Public Health Agency. He is best known for leading Sweden’s public health strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 30 years of experience, Dr Tegnell’s career has seen him work on the frontline during the Ebola outbreak in Zaire. He has served in senior advisory roles for the European Commission and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Here he contributed to shaping EU-wide strategies for infectious disease prevention and control.
A speech bubble with a quote from a person, aged 11, who responded to Let's Be Heard. It says, "Provide help for children with worries and anxiety after the pandemic. I don't think I will ever be free from worries about bugs and infections."
Next steps for 2025/26: Let’s Be Heard is analysing the experiences shared by more than 12,500 people across Scotland. They will publish a case study on children and young people’s experiences during the pandemic this summer. This year, the Inquiry will publish narrative records of its public impact hearings. In September, we will hold hearings on: lockdowns and other measures such as social distancing and travel restrictions. different approaches by other countries to limit the spread of COVID-19
The Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry has completed its public impact hearings. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and contributed to our investigations. We held 93 days of impact hearings since October 2023. We received more than 600 written statements. We heard from 364 witnesses. 100% of this evidence informs our investigations and recommendations.
A map of Scotland with pins highlighting each town, city and local authority that Let's Be Heard visited during its engagement periods. The text reads, "200+ events across Scotland. 2,000+ experiences shared through community discussions. Over 60 partner organisations."
“We understand how difficult it must have been for some respondents to revisit such a difficult period in their lives and would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has taken the time to engage with us.” Dr Alexandra Anderson, Head of Let’s Be Heard
Over 12,500 experiences have been shared with Let's Be Heard, the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry's public participation project.
A map of Scotland with pins showing each town, city and local authority that Let's Be Heard visited during its engagement periods.
A group of Edinburgh Napier University students and lecturers standing with the Lord Brailsford, the Chair of the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry.
A group of Modern Studies students from Boroughmuir High School standing with Lord Brailsford, Chair of the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry in the Inquiry's hearing suite.
A speech bubble containing a quote from one of the prisoners who shared their experience of the pandemic with Let's Be Heard. It reads, "No visits and no human contact has had an impact on my mental health and I'm scared about getting out of jail."
A speech bubble containing a quote from one of the prisoners who shared their experience of the pandemic with Let's Be Heard. It reads, "At the start no one know how to manage COVID-19, so in all fairness the Scottish Prison Service did a good job."
A quote from a prisoner who shared their experience of the pandemic with Let's Be Heard. It reads, "It has impacted my mental health but no one cares because we are prisoners."
A quote from a prisoner who shared their experiences with Let's Be Heard. It reads, "For the sake of our mental health at least try to revert back to pre-COVID routine. For us prisoners it's as if COVID-19 was never beaten, we are still suffering its effects."
An illustrated map of Scotland sits next to a speech bubble with the text, "Over 200 events attended". There is a grid of photos from the various events, showing attendees interacting with Let's Be Heard team members.
A line graph graphic points up to a speech bubble with the text "Approximately 12,000 experiences shared".
Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry Chief Executive, Ian Duddy, standing with members of Leith Academy High School in the Inquiry's hearing suite.
Dr Alexandra Anderson, Head of Let's Be Heard standing at the John O'Groats Signpost, holding Let's Be Heard information leaflets.
Let's Be Heard colleagues at an information desk at the Learning Places Scotland conference.