As a result, decisions on lockdowns and social distancing during the early weeks of the pandemic—and the advice that led to them—rank as one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced. This happened despite the UK 97 GOV.UK, ‘Precautionary SAGE 1 minutes: Coronavirus (COVID-19) response, 22 January 2020’, accessed 17 August 2021 98 See, for example: Q114, Q473, Q716, Q746 and Q1227 99 GOV.UK, ‘Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 23 March 2020’, accessed 17 August 2021 100 See, for example: On 16 March SAGE advised “that there is clear evidence to support additional social distancing measures be introduced as soon as possible”—GOV.UK, ‘SAGE 16 minutes: Coronavirus (COVID-19) response, 16 March 2020’, accessed 17 August 2021 101 Oral evidence taken before the Science and Technology Committee on 10 June 2020, HC (2019–21) 136, Q883 Coronavirus: lessons learned to date 33 counting on some of the best expertise available anywhere in the world, and despite having an open, democratic system that allowed plentiful challenge. Painful though it is, the UK must learn what lessons it can of why this happened if we are to ensure it is not repeated. The initial policy: flattening the peak