Ministers considered killing all CATS at start of pandemic, claims ex health minister

A nationwide cull of all pet cats was considered at the start of the Covid pandemic, according to a former minister.

Lord Bethell, who was head of NHS Test and Trace under Boris Johnson, said the concern about pets showed how little was known about the disease at the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.

Speaking to Channel 4 News, the hereditary peer said: "What we shouldn't forget is how little we understood about this disease.

"There was a moment we were very unclear about whether domestic pets could transmit the disease.

"In fact, there was an idea at one moment that we might have to ask the public to exterminate all the cats in Britain.

"Can you imagine what would have happened if we had wanted to do that?

Lord Bethell, who worked with Matt Hancock, said we 'shouldn't forget is how little we understood about this disease' (Simon Dawson / No10 Downing Street)

"And yet, for a moment there was a bit of evidence around that so that had to be investigated and closed down."

Lord Bethell served as Matt Hancock's deputy in the Department of Health and Social from 2020 to 2021.

The leaked comments come as his former boss furiously disputed allegations that he failed to follow advice to test all people entering into care homes during the pandemic.

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WhatsApp messages leaked to the Daily Telegraph suggested Mr Hancock did not believe committing to testing those from the community - including care home staff - added anything and only “muddies the waters”.

This was despite guidance from Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty telling him there should be testing for “all going into care homes” in April 2020.

The hereditary peer said 'we were very unclear about whether domestic pets could transmit the disease' (AsiaWire/Weibo)

Testing was implemented for all people entering care homes in August 2020.

But Mr Hancock's spokesman said the messages offered a "distorted account" and were being "spun to fit an anti-lockdown agenda".

Ex-Education Secretary Sir Gavin Williamson also appeared to harshly criticise teaching unions in the pandemic messages, saying that they 'really do just hate work' during a discussion with Matt Hancock.

Political journalist Isabel Oakeshott leaked the WhatsApp exchange after being given them by Hancock while they were working on a book about the pandemic.