Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether 14 residents in a dormitory meets the UKHSA recommendations for a COVID-19 compliant environment; and if so, what guidance informed this recommendation.

The UK Health Security Agency does not specify numbers for a COVID-19 compliant environment, but advises on all locations being appropriately risk-assessed with identified risk mitigations put in place to address those risks. Risk mitigations may include: not using a location; fewer people in any given space; use of physical barriers; increased ventilation; testing, tracing and isolation protocols with different approaches for vaccinated/non-vaccinated people if relevant; and face coverings in confined or enclosed spaces.