What the Covid Lockdown Files Tell Us

British politicians exploited a variant to ‘frighten the pants off’ the public.

Review & Outlook: More evidence that the coronavirus may have escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology catches up to those who derided the possibility of a man-made Chinese origin. Images: AP/Reuters Composite: Mark Kelly

They were “following the science,” politicians told the public at every opportunity during the height of the Covid pandemic. The public in many countries has learned that was often far from true, and now we have proof from what our British friends are calling the Covid lockdown files.

The United Kingdom has witnessed in recent days the release of some 100,000 text messages that government officials sent each other during the pandemic. The glib resort to casual authoritarianism is shocking even for those who are cynical about politicians.

Opinion

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