Coronavirus: Disease Control

(asked on 10th February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on people with underlying health conditions of the proposals to remove all covid-19 restrictions.


Answered by
Maggie Throup Portrait
Maggie Throup
This question was answered on 23rd February 2022

Data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that infection rates have fallen in England with advice from scientific advisers that it was likely that the Omicron variant had now peaked nationally. National Health Service data shows that hospital admissions and patients in hospital have been steadily falling in recent weeks and that numbers in intensive care and ventilator beds has remained relatively low throughout and has been falling since early January 2022. The equality impacts of moving to ‘Plan A’ and the potential impacts on vulnerable groups have been considered as part of the decision-making process.

We have issued guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19, which is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk

In addition, all those who are severely immunosuppressed are eligible for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as part of their primary course and a booster or fourth dose. From 16 December 2021, the NHS has offered new antibody and antiviral treatments to those at greater risk from COVID-19. These treatments are licensed for use in non-hospitalised patients to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death. These treatments can be accessed through COVID Medicine Delivery Units.

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