UK Covid-19 Inquiry, Modules 2, 2A, 2B, 2C: Core decision-making and political governance · 2025
Appendix 2: Glossary
Appendix 2: Glossary
297¶Term Description 10 Downing Street The Prime Minister's Office, which supports the Prime Minister in establishing and delivering the UK government's overall strategy and policy priorities, and communicating the UK government's policies to Parliament, the public and international audiences. Aerosols Very small respiratory particles that can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time and, where containing viruses, can infect at greater distances than larger droplets. Airborne Transmission of a pathogen occurring across short or long transmission distances through the air from very small virus-containing respiratory particles produced by an infected individual. Alert levels Levels set by the Welsh Government which dictated the restrictions put in place across Wales, depending on the state of Covid-19 and other key indicators. Alpha variant A variant of Covid-19 that emerged in Kent during the autumn of 2020. Designated by the World Health Organization as a 'variant of concern' on 18 December 2020. Antibody A component of the immune system that is produced after infection or vaccination with a pathogen and which identifies and helps to neutralise future infections from the same pathogen. Antivirals Medicines used to treat or prevent viral infections. Asymptomatic Having an infection but not showing any symptoms. Behavioural fatigue A theoretical risk that the public might tire of complying with restrictive measures after a certain period of time and that compliance would therefore wane over time, reducing the effectiveness of the measures. Behavioural Insights Established within the Cabinet Office in 2010 to incorporate human Team behaviour into the formulation of public policy and public services. Formerly known as 'the Nudge Unit'. Now a private company. Behavioural science The scientific study of human and animal behaviour, including disciplines such as psychology, anthropology and sociology. Biosecurity The preparation, policies and actions taken to protect human, animal and environmental health against biological threats. Booster A dose of vaccine after the primary course of vaccination, used to boost the immune response against a pathogen. Cabinet A team of the most senior government ministers who are chosen to lead on specific policy areas. Cabinet Office A ministerial UK government department, supported by 28 agencies and public bodies. It supports the Prime Minister, ensures the effective running of government and takes the lead in certain critical policy areas. Cabinet Secretary The Prime Minister's most senior policy adviser. Acts as Secretary and adviser to the UK Cabinet.
298¶Term Description Case fatality ratio The percentage of people diagnosed with a disease who die from it. Chancellor of the A senior Cabinet Office minister and member of the UK Cabinet Duchy of Lancaster who administers the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Responsible for overseeing all Cabinet Office policy, civil contingencies, resilience and national security.
¶Chancellor of the The UK government's chief financial minister, with overall Exchequer responsibility for the Treasury. Chief Medical Officer A qualified medical practitioner, the most senior government
adviser on health matters, and the professional head of all directors of public health in local government and the medical profession in government. There is a Chief Medical Officer for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Chief Medical Officer for England is the UK government's Chief Medical Adviser.
¶Chief scientific Senior science advisers, working in most government departments, advisers who provide oversight and assurance of science capability and activities. Chief Scientist A post in the Scottish Government that advises on research, (Health) development and innovation within the NHS in Scotland. Chief Statistician (for A post in the Scottish Government that is responsible for the official Scotland) statistics that come out of Scottish public sector organisations, including their trustworthiness, quality and impact. Circuit breaker Generally, a set of restrictions that have been predetermined to end
after a relatively short period of time. The Welsh Government used the term to refer to indicators, such as hospital capacity, that could trigger restrictions.
¶Civil Contingencies Legislation providing a framework for civil protection in the UK. Act 2004 It also allows for the making of temporary special legislation
(emergency regulations) to help deal with the most serious of emergencies.
¶Civil Contingencies The principal strategic civil contingencies preparedness body for Group (Northern the public sector in Northern Ireland, responsible for providing Ireland) strategic leadership for civil contingencies preparedness by agreeing policy and strategy on cross-cutting issues. Civil Contingencies A group of senior policy officials that meets to discuss strategy for Group (Wales) emergency preparedness in Wales. Civil Contingencies A dedicated capability in the Cabinet Office that managed the UK Secretariat government's preparedness and response to major, nationwide events. Disbanded in July 2022.
299¶Term Description Clinically extremely People identified by the UK government in March 2020 as having vulnerable medical conditions that were likely to make them particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. Clinically vulnerable People identified by the UK government in March 2020 as having
medical conditions that might make them vulnerable to Covid-19, although not with the same predictability or to the same extent as the clinically extremely vulnerable.
¶COBR The UK government's national crisis management centre for
responding to whole-system civil emergencies. It provides the coordination mechanism through which the UK government responds quickly to emergencies that require urgent decision-making.
¶Commonly A daily summary of data, produced by the Civil Contingencies recognised Secretariat in the UK government and made available to decision- information picture makers. (CRIP) Community When a disease is spreading in the community and the specific transmission source is unknown (for instance, where it cannot be linked to a traveller from abroad). Comorbidities The co-occurrence of two or more long-term conditions in a person. Contact A person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for an infection. Contact tracing Identifying the source and contacts linked to a confirmed case of
an infectious disease. A public health measure to contain the spread of an infection.
¶Contain/containment A disease control strategy aimed at preventing community
transmission, such as through tracing the contacts of infected people.
¶Contingency Planning to be ready to respond effectively in the event of an planning emergency. Coronavirus A national surveillance programme led by the Office for National (Covid-19) Infection Statistics to provide an understanding of the number of infections Survey in the community, including regional and age breakdowns.
¶Designed in mid-April 2020 and ran until March 2023. Coronavirus Job A temporary scheme designed to protect the UK economy by Retention Scheme helping employers whose operations were affected by Covid-19 ('furlough') to retain their employees. Coronaviruses A family of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses in people. Countermeasures Measures taken to mitigate or suppress the effects of a pandemic, such as contact tracing, therapeutics and vaccines. Covid-19 The disease caused by the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
300¶Term Description Covid-19 Advisory A group of experts that provided the Scottish Government with Group scientific and technical advice on the Covid-19 response. Covid-19 Bereaved A UK-wide campaign group representing the interests of bereaved Families for Justice family members of individuals who died from Covid-19. Covid-19 Bereaved A group dedicated to campaigning for and giving a voice to those Families for Justice bereaved by Covid-19 in Wales. Cymru Covid-19 Core Group A Welsh Government information-sharing forum that brought
together ministers, government officials, the leaders of the two largest opposition parties, the Welsh Local Government Association and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
¶Covid-19 Dashboard A daily summary of data about the Covid-19 pandemic, produced
by the UK Health Security Agency from March 2020. It provided near real-time data on key indicators that could show how public health measures were affecting transmission.
¶Covid-19 Operations A UK Cabinet sub-committee that met from May 2020 to drive the Committee policy and operational aspects of the Covid-19 response. (Covid-O) Covid-19 Project A policy and operational team that coordinated the Welsh Team Government's policy response to Covid-19. Covid-19 Strategy A UK Cabinet sub-committee that met from June 2020 to consider Committee strategy in relation to the Covid-19 response. (Covid-S) Covid-19 Strategy A daily meeting held at 09:15 between March and May 2020, Ministerial Group attended by the Prime Minister and other ministers, key advisers
(and, as required, the leaders of the devolved administrations) to provide oversight of all issues and strategy concerning the Covid-19 response.
¶Covid-19 Taskforce Created at the end of May 2020 to provide strategic leadership on
the response to Covid-19. Served as the secretariat for Covid-S and Covid-O.
¶Dashboard A visual display of data. 'Deep dive' meeting A meeting convened to examine a particular subject in detail. Delay Taking actions to slow the spread of a pathogen, reduce peaks of infection and control the timing of peaks. Delta variant A variant first detected in the UK in March 2021 and more
301transmissible than the Alpha variant. Led to a new wave of infections that peaked in July 2021.
¶Term Description Department of A devolved government department in the Northern Ireland Health (Northern Executive with a statutory responsibility to promote the physical Ireland) and mental health and social wellbeing of people in Northern
Ireland. Also responsible for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness.
¶Department of A ministerial UK government department with overall responsibility Health and Social for health and care services. It sets strategy and funds and Care oversees the health and care system in England, with equivalent
counterparts in the devolved nations. Known prior to January 2018 as the Department of Health – for clarity, the department is referred to throughout this Report using its current name.
¶Deputy First Minister, Joint chair (with the First Minister) of the Northern Ireland Executive. Northern Ireland All statutory functions assigned to the deputy First Minister (and Executive First Minister) by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 must be exercised jointly. Deputy First Minister, A Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Government, supporting the Scottish Government work of the First Minister. Until 2023, the Deputy First Minister was responsible for the resilience function of the Scottish Government. Devolution The process of transferring power from the centre to the nations and regions of the UK. Devolution Settlements setting out the powers granted to the devolved settlements legislatures. Each devolved nation has its own devolution settlement. Devolved The governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. administrations Devolved The Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Parliament and the Northern legislatures Ireland Assembly. Devolved nations Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Diagnostic test A test that can confirm if someone has a disease. Disability A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-
term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-today activities.
¶Doubling time In relation to infectious disease, an estimate of the length of time it will take for the total number of cases to double. Draft affirmative A legislative process by which regulations require approval by the procedure relevant legislature (ie the UK, Scottish or Welsh Parliament or the
¶Northern Ireland Assembly) before becoming law. Droplets Respiratory particles that are larger and heavier than aerosols and
302so deposit out of the air quicker, typically within one to two metres of the person who exhales them.
¶Term Description Elimination A strategy that aims to reduce cases to effectively zero by using strict interventions until there is no transmission in the community. Epidemic A sudden increase in incidence of a disease that is higher than expected in a geographical region. Epidemiology The study of the distribution, patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. Eradication Complete reduction of all cases of a disease around the world to zero, without the ongoing need for interventions. Ethnic minorities All ethnic groups except the White British group (ethnic minorities
include White minorities, such as Gypsy, Roma and Traveller groups).
¶Excess deaths The number of additional deaths in a time period that is higher than would usually be expected based on recent years. The Executive A devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Office, Northern Northern Ireland Executive with principal policy responsibility for Ireland civil contingencies matters. The ministers with overall responsibility for the department are the First Minister and deputy First Minister. Exit wave A rising wave of infections following the lifting of restrictions. Exponential spread Spread of infections that accelerates over time. Occurs when a pathogen enters a population with little or no immunity. False negative A test result suggesting – incorrectly – that a person does not have
a condition or disease. For example, when someone with a SARS- CoV-2 infection tests negative for SARS-CoV-2.
¶Firebreak A stringent set of restrictions imposed in Wales for 17 days from
¶23 October 2020. First Minister, Joint chair (with the deputy First Minister) of the Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Executive. All statutory functions assigned to the First Minister (and Executive deputy First Minister) by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 must be exercised jointly. First Minister of Head of the Scottish Government, responsible for the overall Scotland development, implementation and presentation of the
administration's policies and for promoting and representing Scotland at home and overseas.
¶First Minister of Head of the Welsh Government, responsible for the overall Wales development and coordination of Welsh Government policy. Fixed penalty notice A fine issued for certain offences, allowing the recipient to avoid prosecution by paying a set amount. Four governments The four governments of the UK: the UK government, Scottish
¶Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive. Four harms Four harms identified by the Scottish Government in April 2020 as emanating from the Covid-19 virus.
303¶Term Description Four Harms Group An advisory group set up by the Scottish Government in October
2020 to facilitate discussion of the four harms approach in its Covid-19 response.
¶Four nations The four nations of the UK: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern
¶Ireland. Generation time The period between a person becoming infected and when they infect another person. Gold Command (also In Scotland, a series of meetings between senior decision-makers 'Gold' or 'Gold and their advisers that took place outside formal decision-making Group') structures.
In Northern Ireland, Health Gold Command is the highest tier of emergency response within the Department of Health (Northern Ireland). It involves specific mechanisms being set up to provide strategic direction and advice.
¶Government Chief The Chief Scientific Adviser provides scientific advice to the Prime Scientific Adviser Minister and members of the UK Cabinet, and coordinates the network of Chief Scientific Advisers. Government Office A science office that advises the Prime Minister and members of for Science (GO- the UK Cabinet to ensure that government policies and decisions Science) are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. Health and Social The publicly funded healthcare system in Northern Ireland, with Care (Northern health and social care integrated under a single framework. Ireland) Health Protection Part of NHS National Services Scotland. Responsible for Scotland implementing operational decisions made by the Scottish
Government, developing guidance and producing detailed statistics and analysis of data. On 1 April 2020, functions of Health Protection Scotland were transferred to a new body, Public Health Scotland.
¶High consequence An acute infectious disease which: infectious disease • can transmit in the community and may be difficult to detect
rapidly; • typically has a high case fatality ratio and few or no prophylactic or therapeutic drugs; and • therefore requires an enhanced individual, population and system response.
¶Home Office A UK government department, supported by 29 agencies and
public bodies. The lead government department for immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime, fire, counter-terrorism and police.
¶Immunisation When individuals become protected from a disease, following either natural infection or vaccination.
304¶Term Description Immunity The ability to defend the body from a pathogen's infection.
Acquired immunity describes how the body builds immunological memory – so that if the person is exposed to the same infection again the body's response is enhanced. This is the basis for immunisation with vaccines.
¶Impact assessment A process of assessment designed to ensure that the most (eg equality, significant risks are identified and taken into account when making children's rights) decisions. Incidence The number of new cases of a disease in a population during a
particular time period. Calculating incidence rates can indicate how quickly an infectious disease is occurring in a population.
¶Incubation period The period of time between infection with a disease and the appearance of symptoms. Infection fatality ratio The percentage of people with a disease (diagnosed or undiagnosed) who die from it. Influenza (flu) A viral respiratory infection that infects humans and several other
host species globally. It causes both seasonal endemic waves of infection and, when new strains emerge against which the population has less immunity, more severe epidemics or pandemics.
¶Intensive care unit A type of hospital ward that provides specialised care for critically ill patients, such as mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure. Interventions Any activity undertaken with the objective of improving human
health by preventing disease, by curing or reducing the severity or duration of an existing disease, or by restoring function lost through disease or injury.
¶Joint Biosecurity Established in May 2020 to provide a single point of public health Centre analysis in order to advise the Prime Minister, UK Cabinet and
others. On 1 October 2021 it became part of the UK Health Security Agency.
¶Joint Committee on A scientific committee that advises UK health departments on Vaccination and immunisation. Immunisation Joint Ministerial A set of committees that comprises ministers from the UK Committee government and devolved administrations. Key worker Someone whose work was critical to the Covid-19 response. This
was relevant to testing eligibility and the ability of the children of such workers to attend early years and education settings during school closures.
¶Lateral flow test A type of molecular test to detect an active infection.
305¶Term Description Lead government The government department responsible for leading work to department identify particular risks, and ensuring that the right planning, response and recovery arrangements are in place. Levels A system of levels of restrictions announced in October 2020 in
restrictions on the whole population (apart from specified activities) for the purpose of limiting the spread of a disease.
¶Long Covid Signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection
consistent with Covid-19, continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis.
¶Long-term sequelae Long-term illnesses following an acute infection. Made affirmative A legislative process by which regulations take immediate effect in procedure urgent cases but require parliamentary approval within 28 days to ('confirmatory remain valid. procedure' in Northern Ireland) Made negative A legislative process by which regulations with less significant procedure effects on individuals or property take effect immediately and
remain law unless rejected by the relevant legislature within 40 days.
¶Middle East The disease caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome respiratory coronavirus. syndrome (MERS) Middle East A respiratory virus with a reservoir in dromedary camels that can respiratory also spread from person to person. syndrome coronavirus (MERS- CoV) Ministerial Ministerial groups set up by the UK government in March 2020 to Implementation make collective decisions on healthcare, public services, economic Groups response and international issues. Disbanded in May 2020 and
306replaced with the Covid-19 Strategy Committee (Covid-S), the Covid-19 Operations Committee (Covid-O) and the Covid-19 Taskforce.
¶Term Description Mitigation A strategy aiming to use limited but effective interventions to delay and minimise the peak of waves of infections and to reduce their size. The goal is primarily to spread pressure on the healthcare system over a longer time period, while accepting that a similar number of people will become infected eventually. Modelling Using details of a population, characteristics of a pathogen and how these might interact, infectious disease modelling is used to investigate how a disease could unfold and what the consequences could be for the population. This includes how fast a disease may spread, how many individuals may become infected and may require treatment, and how many may die. Mortality rate An expression of the number of deaths for a given cause divided by the whole population. Mutation Changes to the genetic sequence of a virus as it replicates. National Institute for One of the UK's major funders of health and care research, which Health and Care invests in pandemic preparedness research, clinical research Research infrastructure and 'hibernated' research projects. Nationalists Those in favour of Irish reunification. (Northern Ireland) Natural immunity Immunity from a disease through prior infection. New and Emerging An expert scientific committee of the Department of Health and Respiratory Virus Social Care which advises the Chief Medical Officer and, through Threats Advisory them, the government. It provides scientific risk assessment and Group (NERVTAG) mitigation advice on the threat posed by new and emerging respiratory viruses and on options for their management. NHS The term used to refer collectively to the publicly funded healthcare systems in England, Scotland and Wales, comprising NHS England, NHS Scotland and the NHS in Wales (also known as 'NHS Wales'). The publicly funded healthcare system in Northern Ireland is Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland). NHS England An executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care, that leads and oversees the NHS in England. NHS Scotland The publicly funded healthcare system in Scotland, made up of geographical health boards and non-geographical special boards, and supported by NHS National Services Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland. (NHS) Test and Trace A service set up in May 2020 as part of the Department of Health and Social Care to provide Covid-19 testing and contact tracing. Working with local authorities, it contacted people who had tested positive and their recent contacts to advise them to self-isolate, as well as providing telephone monitoring and support.
307¶Term Description NHS in Wales (NHS The NHS in Wales is made up of local health boards, trusts Wales) (including Public Health Wales) and special health authorities
(Health Education and Improvement Wales and Digital Health and Care Wales). The local health boards are responsible for planning, securing and delivering all healthcare services for the benefit of their resident population in a specific geographical area. The term 'NHS Wales' is commonly used to refer collectively to local health boards, trusts and special health authorities in Wales, though there is no central legal entity with this name.
¶NI Hub A central operations room and coordination centre for Northern
¶Ireland that became operational in March 2020. Nightingale A temporary medical facility set up during a crisis. Non-pharmaceutical Non-drug measures to limit the transmission of an infectious interventions disease. These can be measures at the individual level, such as
physical distancing, the use of face masks and coverings, and improved hygiene measures. They can also be measures to constrain activities, such as the closure of various premises including sporting venues, pubs and shops.
¶Northern Ireland The devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. Assembly Northern Ireland Contingency arrangements for civil emergencies in Northern Central Crisis Ireland, activated where an emergency has occurred (or is Management anticipated to occur) which is likely to have a serious impact. Arrangements Set up in March 2020.