Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of herd immunity as a way to minimise UK deaths from COVID-19
Answered by Lord Bethell
Herd immunity is not part of the Government’s action plan but is a natural by-product of an epidemic. Our aims are to save lives, protect the most vulnerable, and relieve pressure on the National Health Service.
We have now moved out of the contain phase and into delay, and we have experts working round the clock. Every measure that we have or will introduce will be based on the best scientific evidence.
Our awareness of the likely levels of immunity in the country over the coming months will ensure our planning and response is as accurate and effective as possible.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of checking passengers temperatures at airports to counter the spread of COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Our experts made an early assessment that stopping flights and screening at airports would not make a significant difference as the effect on delaying the peak of the outbreak would be minimal.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) staff, and (2) ministers, at the Department of Health and Social Care have been tested for COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department does not discuss specific and personal details around individuals tested for COVID-19. The Department’s staff are advised to follow Public Health England advice to stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms and use the NHS 111 online COVID-19 service if their symptoms persist beyond seven days.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff in Number 10 Downing Street have been tested for COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Bethell
As of 9am on 16 March 2020, a total of 44,105 people have been tested in the United Kingdom. These numbers are updated and published daily. Information on patient specifics is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Government ministers have been tested for COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Bethell
As of 9am on 16 March 2020, a total of 44,105 people have been tested in the United Kingdom. These numbers are updated and published daily. Information on patient specifics is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the success of measures adopted in Taiwan to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Bethell
United Kingdom officials continue to work closely with key multinational partners to ensure that the Government’s response to COVID-19 is guided by the international situation, the advice of organisations such as the World Health Organization, surveillance, data modelling and the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, which provides expert medical scientific advice.
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer is due to have a conversation with key experts in Taiwan to learn further information about their approach. We are enormously grateful for the support from others around the world,f including Taiwan.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban gatherings of over 1,000 people in the UK as a result of COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government have now put measures in place that recommend against all non-essential travel and mass gatherings, additionally the enforced closure of schools. businesses and other venues commenced on 20 March, with previous social distancing and sheltering advice updated as of 22 March.
Our approach has been, and will continue to be, guided by the evidence and latest advice from medical experts, including the Chief Medical Officer.
It is absolutely critical in managing the spread of this virus that we take the right decisions at the right time based on the latest and best evidence.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are giving to people with suspected COVID-19 about how they should care for themselves during periods of self-quarantine.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The advice to people with suspected COVID-19 about how they should care for themselves during periods of self-quarantine focuses on keeping away from others, staying at home to stop the infection spreading, and avoiding public transport. The Government’s COVID-19 campaign posters are attached.
Public Health England advice online on the GOV.UK website about COVID-19 is regularly updated as our understanding grows and the guidelines evolve.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether staff at NHS 111 are given uniform advice scripts on how to respond to suspected COVID-19 cases.
Answered by Lord Bethell
NHS 111 call handlers work off algorithms rather than ‘scripts’. This enables the call handler to give proper advice that is tailored to the caller’s needs.
A process for COVID-19 has been worked through between NHS 111 and Public Health England.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further plans they have to give advice to the public on how to minimise the spread of COVID-19 and how to cope with periods of self-quarantine.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The advice to the public on how to minimise the spread of COVID-19 focuses on hand hygiene and the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ advice for coughs and sneezes. COVID-19 campaign posters are attached.
Our new national communications campaign will set out the latest clinical advice and this can be found online by searching for Public Health England advice on the GOV.UK website. We can all continue to do our bit by continuing to wash our hands more often for 20 seconds or more and having plenty of tissues around.