British Prime Minister Boris Johnson assumed “full responsibility” on Tuesday for the more than 100,000 deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.
The authority spoke after the country completed 100,162 total victims of coronavirus, a figure that accumulated especially during the month of January, when infections and hospitalizations associated with a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 increased, which would be more contagious.
“It is difficult to calculate the grief contained in that grim statistic, the years of life lost, the family reunions that have not been attended and, for so many relatives, the lost opportunity even to say goodbye,” said Johnson visibly affected by the press.
The leader of the Conservative Party affirmed that he is willing to “reflect and repair” the government’s strategy in the face of the health crisis, pointing out that he is facing a “national tragedy” that is still difficult to contain.
“I deeply regret each of the lives that have been lost and, of course, as prime minister, I take full responsibility for everything the government has done,” he added.
Johnson’s recognition came after harsh criticism against the measures taken by the British government against COVID-19, which at the beginning of 2020 bet on a “herd immunity” that had no results.
The United Kingdom was the first country in Europe to overcome the 100,000 dead barrier, also reaching 3,689,746 total infections. In the last day, 20,089 new cases were reported, a figure much lower than the 68 thousand that were marked on January 8, when the peak was reached.
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