What's happened
Former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill apologises for suggesting 'chickenpox-style' parties to build immunity during the pandemic.
Why it matters
The apology from the former top civil servant sheds light on early pandemic discussions and the government's approach to managing the virus.
What the papers say
The Independent reports that Sedwill apologised for the suggestion, while The Times provides additional context on the mitigation strategy being examined by the government. Sky News highlights the criticism from political appointees, and Politico discusses the deep rifts in the British government during the early stages of the pandemic.
How we got here
The former head of the British civil service, Mark Sedwill, made the suggestion early in the pandemic, which has now come to light during the COVID-19 inquiry.
More on these topics
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Sir Mark Philip Sedwill KCMG FRGS is a British diplomat, public policy analyst and senior civil servant who has served as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service since 2018. He has also served as National Security Adviser since 2017.
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The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China.
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Dominic Mckenzie Cummings is a British political strategist who has served as chief adviser to UK prime minister Boris Johnson since July 2019.