UK to build new contact-tracing system and stockpile PPE under £1bn pandemic plan

The UK government has announced a £1 billion pandemic preparedness plan, establishing a new contact-tracing system and stockpiling PPE. The strategy, driven by lessons from Covid-19, aims to prepare for future pandemics, which the government views as a certainty. It includes an “All Pandemics Hazard Bill” for flexible emergency measures.

Key components also involve building a biosecurity hub in Essex by 2038 and enhancing vaccine development capabilities to provide shots within 100 days of a new outbreak. The UK Health Security Agency will implement the contact-tracing system using AI and location data, aiming for deployment by 2030. The new plan addresses multiple transmission routes, contrasting with the criticized 2011 strategy.