Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how data on HIV is being taken into account in the new QCOVID population risk assessment tool following concerns raised by people living with HIV who have been asked to shield for the first time.

The COVID-19 population risk assessment, based on QCovid, uses a range of factors including age, sex registered at birth, ethnicity, postcode as an indicator of deprivation and body mass index alongside medical conditions to calculate a risk assessment score for each individual. Owing to small numbers, HIV has been included within the model in a broader group of conditions which includes other immunosuppressive disorders, such as sickle cell and immunodeficiency, to offer a representative level of potential risk. This is in keeping with emerging research evidence that suggests people living with HIV may be at increased risk from COVID-19.

If an individual living with HIV has received a letter advising them to shield, this will not be based solely on their HIV status, but on a wide range of factors. Any person living with HIV who is concerned can seek further advice from their general practitioner or specialist clinician.