Milton Keynes woman vows to ensure meaningful change after losing father during pandemic
The UK Covid Inquiry heard its final evidence yesterday from relatives of those who died
A woman from Milton Keynes who lost her dad during the coronavirus pandemic says she’ll keep fighting to ensure meaningful change for the future.
It comes after the UK Covid Inquiry heard the last of the evidence from those whose relatives died, which was a described by campaigners as a "moment (which) belongs to many people".
Relatives gathered outside the inquiry hearing centre in London on Wednesday, holding photographs of loved ones ahead of a minute of silence in their memory.
Hearings in the inquiry's 10th and final module, examining the pandemic's impact on society, are expected to conclude on today with lawyers' closing statements.
Deborah Lewis from Milton Keynes and Founder of Covid-19 Families UK says “this is not the end”.
“It's one thing recommendations being made; it's another thing ensuring they're implemented.
“So even after the inquiry, many of the bereaved families will still be very active in campaigning with their MPs and other politicians to ensure that lessons are learned and plans are put in place.”
She added: “There will be another pandemic, it's just a matter of when.
“Many of the families, the reason they want their voices heard, is not only to tell their story, but to prevent other people from having to go through this in the future.”
Ms Lewis lost her father at the start of the pandemic, only four months after her mother passed away.
She said: “I still have guilt, even though I know it's not my fault, that when dad was in hospital and he passed away, I was not there with him.
“It's something that doesn't matter how many years we move on, we can never shift because I can't go back and change that.
“I will still always have that guilt and fear that he was alone and probably terrified I wasn't there with him.”