COVID exposes Britain's vulnerability to whole-system emergencies
November 22, 2021, 1:29 am

COVID exposes Britain's vulnerability to whole-system emergencies

Corona virus-Pandemic protection/Pixabay

The Xinhua reported that the National Audit Office (NAO) said in a recent report, the coronavirus pandemic exposed Britain's vulnerability to whole-system emergencies and left the British government unprepared.

The NAO said, the government did not act on warnings from pandemic simulations carried out prior to COVID-19 based on an influenza outbreak.

It added preparations for Britain's exit from the European Union led to the government pausing work on other emergency preparations, citing that the Civil Contingencies Secretariat allocated 56 of its 94 full-time equivalent staff to prepare for potential disruptions from a no-deal exit.

The report, this limited the government's ability to focus on other risk and contingency planning at the same time.

Corona virus-UK combating Corona virus/Pixabay

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO said: "This pandemic has exposed the UK's vulnerability to whole-system emergencies, where the emergency is so broad that it engages all levels of government and society. Although government had plans for a flu pandemic, it was not prepared for a pandemic like COVID-19 and did not learn important lessons from the simulation exercises it carried out."

The report: "The government was not fully prepared for the wide-ranging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society, the economy and essential public services. It lacked detailed plans on shielding, employment support schemes and managing the disruption to schooling."

In its conclusions, the NAO called on the British government to strengthens its preparations for system-wide emergencies. It suggested the Cabinet Office establish who leads and manages system-wide risks, and strengthen oversight and assurance arrangements over preparations for system-wide emergencies.

The NAO is responsible for scrutinizing public spending for parliament and is independent of government and the civil service.

Britain registered 40,004 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 9,845,492, according to official figures released Sunday.

The country also reported a further 61 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 143,927. These death toll only includes people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”