Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering Excerpts

Thursday 3rd September 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con) [V]]

My Lords, I have a brief question to put to my noble friend the Minister regarding the consultation on local lockdowns: how, in future, can we strive to avoid the tension that appears to have arisen in local cases, particularly in the north-west? I urge the Government, in the next campaign that I gather will be announced about face-based test and trace, to look to ensure, if possible, that young people are targeted in any campaign that we have.

In terms of the potential flu epidemic that might coincide with a national spike in Covid, can my noble friend assure the House today that his department has had contact with doctors and pharmacists to ensure that not just the over-65s will have sufficient access to vaccines and that, with the new demand, over-50s will also be able to be vaccinated and that there will be sufficient availability for both categories? My understanding is that flu vaccines are ordered months, if not a year, in advance and there may not be sufficient to cover both categories.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Duncan of Springbank) (Con)]

The noble Baroness has quite a fetching scarf. The next speaker is the noble Lord, Lord Bhatia.