Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to develop advice for people who were previously shielding tailored to the risk associated with their particular disease, including different types of blood cancer, in the event that further restrictions are introduced as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Shielding was paused on 1 August 2020 in England; however, it is important that clinically extremely vulnerable people continue to take extra care, particularly as infection rates rise again. On 13 October, the Government published new guidance to the clinically extremely vulnerable that advises additional things they are advised to do to keep themselves safe at each local COVID alert level.

In the future, the Government will only reintroduce shielding advice in the very worst affected areas and for a limited period of time. This decision will be based on advice from the Chief Medical Officer, informed by local public health experts.

The National Health Service is continuing to maintain the shielded patient list, allowing us to maintain targeted advice and support to those who are most vulnerable and to change advice and support if necessary. General practitioners and hospital clinicians remain able to add people to the list, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of an individual’s needs.