Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (England) Regulations 2021

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen Excerpts

Wednesday 1st December 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Robathan (Con)]

Would my noble friend give way?

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen (Con)]

No, let the Minister finish first.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

The UK Health Security Agency continues to monitor the situation closely in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world. Covid-19 is not going away and so we are likely to keep seeing new variants emerge. If we want to learn to live with the virus, we must follow the scientific evidence and advice and act in a proportionate and responsible way if a variant has the potential to thwart our progress. As we do this, we are taking a well-rounded view, looking not just at the impact of these measures on the virus, but on the economy, education, and non-Covid health, especially mental health. I am confident that the responses we set out today are balanced and responsible steps that are proportionate to the threat we face.