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Boris Johnson Faces COVID Inquiry as Long Covid Children Demand Recognition and Accountability

Tuesday 21 October, 2025

Former Prime Minister Boris
Johnson will appear before the UK COVID-19 Inquiry on Tuesday,
21st October, to answer questions about his government’s pandemic
decisions - decisions that left tens of thousands of children
disabled by Long Covid. The ONS states that 1 in 165 children and
young people, that's c.72 000, reported Long Covid symptoms after
a second COVID-19 infection.


For families living with the
long-term consequences of infection, this moment is not just
political; it is deeply personal. Under Johnson’s leadership, the
government failed to prepare schools for the pandemic and
neglected the risks to children, leaving them without protection,
clear guidance, or access to necessary medical support.



“The government’s failure to
prepare schools for COVID-19 wasn’t accidental - it was
ideological. When Boris Johnson compared Long Covid to ‘Gulf War
Syndrome,’ he exposed a belief system that dismissed biological
illness as psychologically influenced. That same mindset drove
policies that left children unprotected, unresearched, and
unheard.” Claire Every, Long Covid Advocacy.



LCA warns that these failures
contributed to delayed diagnoses, disrupted education, and
devastating isolation for affected children. The organisation is
calling for the Inquiry to hold political leaders accountable for
the long-term disability crisis now affecting thousands of UK
families.


The UK has one of the largest
populations of children with post-acute viral disability in
Europe, yet with little medical understanding or effective
treatment. Many children are still being denied accommodations for
access to education, and medical investigations, due to a culture
stuck in a psychosomatic framing that has dogged post-viral
illnesses such as ME/CFS.



“Johnson’s contempt for the
truth is written in the bodies of our children. We’re not
interested in apologies - children and young people deserve
justice, recognition, and change. That means accountability for
the past, and prevention for the future.” Dr Rupert Higham,
University College London, Institute of Education.


“Instead of being offered
support, understanding, or medical care for our child with Long
Covid, we were referred to social services. The experience left
our family traumatised and fearful of seeking help again - a
reflection of the dismissive attitudes we’ve seen at the highest
levels of government.” Anonymous, parent of a child with Long
Covid.



Prevention must include
measures to protect children in schools, such as clean air through
effective ventilation and air filtration. Recent initiatives, such
as Mayor Sadiq Khan’s investment in air filtration for London
schools, show that protecting children’s health is both achievable
and urgent. LCA calls on the UK Government to implement these
protections nationwide.


Long Covid Advocacy will
continue to monitor the Inquiry closely and amplify the voices of
children and families living with the long-term effects of
infection.




ENDS



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