Latest report paints a painful picture of the care sector during the pandemic. But timid recommendations and a lack of accountability threaten to undermine it

Of all 10 reports due to be published by the long-running Covid-19 inquiry, this week’s findings on adult social care were especially anticipated.

The impact of Covid-19 on the care sector was calamitous: tens of thousands of people died, staff were forced to wear bin bags due to a lack of protective clothing and relatives were banned from seeing their loved ones in their dying days.

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© Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

© Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

© Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Inquiry chair says failure to advise care homes to isolate people discharged from hospital was ‘significant oversight’

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The care sector was “an afterthought” during the Covid-19 pandemic, and government failures caused the virus to spread “like wildfire” among vulnerable and elderly people, a public inquiry has found.

Heather Hallett, who is leading the Covid-19 inquiry, said it was a “significant omission” that the government did not advise that patients discharged from hospitals into care homes should be isolated, causing the virus to spread rapidly among residents and staff.

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© Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

© Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

© Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

"Heróis de Branco" recria os 76 dias de confinamento de Wuhan, entre janeiro e abril de 2020, é protagonizado pelo ator de Hong Kong Andy Lau e pela atriz chinesa Yang Zishan.

© SHEPHERD ZHOU/EPA