UK Covid-19 Inquiry - Module 1 report: progress update - July 2025

6. Regular Response Exercises

Recommendation Six – A regular UK-wide pandemic response exercise

Chair’s recommendation:

The UK Government and devolved governments should together hold a UK-wide pandemic response exercise at least every three years. The exercise should:

• Test the UK-wide, cross-government, national and local response to a pandemic at all stages, from the initial outbreak to multiple waves over a number of years;
• Include a broad range of those involved in pandemic preparedness and response; and
• Consider how a broad range of vulnerable people will be helped in the event of a pandemic.

Implementation actions and timescales set out in our January 2025 response:

• We will participate in the UK-wide Tier 1 Pandemic Exercise during autumn 2025 (Exercise Pegasus).

Progress update:

• Scottish Government officials are involved in the preparation for Exercise Pegasus, due for delivery in Autumn 2025. Exercise Pegasus is a UK wide exercise and provides an opportunity to test national and local level preparedness for future pandemics.
• The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of our readiness to provide a quick and effective whole system response to any future pandemic. We are developing our Social Care Pandemic Preparedness Plan for testing during Exercises Pegasus later this year. The plan will be refined and improved beyond Exercise Pegasus to ensure its effectiveness.
• Scottish Government is committed to learning from the findings of Exercise Pegasus.