Peston: Why government didn't take evasive action to protect us from Covid-19 until March | ITV News

In a new series, Coronavirus: What Happened, ITV News looks at the decisions the UK government made during the early stages of the pandemic, examining issues such as why vulnerable residents in care homes were put at serious risk, why health care workers struggled to obtain vital protective equipment, and why the UK did not increase virus testing capacity much earlier than it did.

In this first report, ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston speaks to epidemiologist John Edmunds, a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), who says Ministers "failed" to act on "early" advice to protect care home residents from coronavirus.

Robert also talks to former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt about the government’s decision was the decision to abandon its community testing and contact tracing strategy on March 12, just as the virus was reaching its peak.