Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the threshold transmission rate for COVID-19 that, if reached, will increase the risk to extremely vulnerable patients to the extent that COVID-19 shielding measures have to be reapplied.

We are continuing to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community. If the R rate or level of COVID-19 in the community start to rise as a result of the recent relaxation of wider lockdown measures or other factors, then it may be necessary to advise that more restrictive measures should be taken again in order for people at highest risk from COVID-19 to keep themselves safe.