Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what systems does the NHS have in place to monitor the potential effect on the levels of covid-19 infections in parts of the country that are trialling the return of events for large numbers of people.

The National Health Service monitors the levels of COVID-19 infections in all parts of the country, including locations where event pilots are taking place, via the NHS Test, Trace and Isolate system. This system is key to identifying local outbreaks and variants of concern.

The Events Research Programme explores how different approaches to social distancing, ventilation and test-on-entry protocols could ease opening and maximise participation in larger events. Evidence from these pilots will inform and shape the Government’s policy to bring about the phased return of fuller audiences to venues and events. All pilot event attendees are encouraged to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test five days after attendance, to identify any positive cases associated with that event. Anyone with a positive PCR test should self-isolate and be contract traced through the NHS Test, Trace and Isolate system.

The NHS are now using mobility data to show travel patterns and highlight where the virus is at risk of spreading and wastewater analysis is taking place in 70% of the country, helping to identify communities where there are COVID-19 infections.