Studies renew calls for virus inquiry


4 October 2001



Studies ‘renew calls for virus inquiry’

By Adrienne Francis


TWO reports which criticise the governments handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis will fuel demands for a public inquiry, say Britains papers.


More than one million animals could have been saved had ministers acted more swiftly over foot-and-mouth, claim the two studies.


The Times says the studies “constitute a devastating indictment of the governments handling of the outbreak.”


They will “fuel demands for a full public inquiry,” it adds.


A spokesman for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs admitted to the paper: “Our resources were under constant strain.”


The Daily Express describes the situation as a tragedy. It also concludes that the studies have sparked new calls for a full public inquiry.


The Daily Mail says the delay “doomed 1m animals”. It too describes both reports as a “damning indictment” of the handling of the crisis.


The Guardian reports that the researchers see no date for an end to the epidemic, and stress that disease controls must be maintained.


Christl Donnelly, one of the researchers, is quoted in the paper as saying: “We will not have learnt the lesson of 1967 if restrictions are relaxed.”

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