Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure clear, continuous communication with the public on covid-19.
Answered by Maggie Throup
‘COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19’, published in February 2022, set out how we have transitioned towards guidance and encouraging responsible behaviours, while targeting protection towards those individuals most at risk from the virus. Updated guidance for the public was published in April 2022 on reducing the risk of catching and spreading respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. Public health principles were also published to reduce the spread of respiratory infections in the workplace.
The National Health Service and the UK Health Security Agency continue to promote safe behaviours and vaccination to the public via the media, social media and with local communities through Directors of Public Health. The autumn booster vaccination campaign and details of eligible groups will be confirmed and communicated in due course.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce levels of covid-19 infections.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Following the publication of ‘COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19’, our guidance has transitioned to encouraging responsible behaviours, while targeting protection towards those most at risk from the virus.
The COVID-19 vaccination and booster programme and the availability of antiviral treatments has ensured a reduced risk of severe illness or hospitalisation. While self-isolation is no longer be required and testing no longer be recommended for those not at high risk, public health advice for anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 or their household contacts recommends avoiding contact with other people where possible, as with any other infectious disease. The Government continues to keep this response under review to ensure it remains effective and proportionate.
Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that vulnerable and elderly people are protected while covid-19 continues to circulate.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 1 April 2022, the Government issued updated public health advice for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19. This set out measures for this patient group, including additional doses of COVID-19 vaccinations, eligibility for targeted antivirals and other therapeutics and guidance on protective behaviours. Those aged over 65 years old with symptoms who test positive for COVID-19 are eligible for pulse oximetry at home, which can enable timely hospital treatment if required. This is also available to people under 65 years old who are at higher risk or where clinical judgement applies.
Those aged over 75 years old have been eligible for an additional booster vaccination in spring 2022, including people in care homes for older people and also those aged 12 years old and over with a weakened immune system. On 19 May 2022, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published interim advice on an autumn booster programme, which states that a COVID-19 vaccine should be offered in autumn 2022 to residents in a care home for older adults and staff; frontline health and social care workers; all those aged 65 years old and over; and adults aged 16 to 64 years old in a clinical risk group. The JCVI continues to review additional COVID-19 vaccinations for other groups and definitions of clinical risk groups. Its final advice on eligibility for the autumn programme will be available in due course. The Government continues to assess the current situation and the risks posed by COVID-19.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there were for covid-19 related offences in England and Wales in 2021.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Justice has published information on prosecutions and convictions for covid-19 related offences, in England and Wales, up to December 2021, in the ‘Outcomes by Offence’ data tool, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1076459/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2021-v2.xlsx.
In the “Prosecutions and Convictions” worksheet, use the Home Office offence code filter to select the following offences:
Figures for prosecutions and convictions populate rows 24 and 25 respectively.
Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of measures to protect people who are most vulnerable from covid-19; and whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing such measures.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The UK Health Security Agency’s COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report shows that as of 21 April 2022, vaccine uptake among those identified as severely immunosuppressed was 95.7% for at least one dose, 94.5% for at least two doses and 88.1% for at least three doses. NHS England’s COVID Therapeutics data for the week ending 22 May 2022 shows that the number of non-hospitalised people in England who have received antivirals or neutralising monoclonal antibody treatments is 45,745. The Office for National Statistics’ survey ‘Coronavirus and clinically extremely vulnerable people in England’ published on 13 May shows that 81% of respondents were aware of guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk. We have no plans to make a further assessment of the current measures which are in place.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that people who are immunosuppressed are able to access covid-19 (a) vaccinations and (b) advice to reduce risk of infection.
Answered by Maggie Throup
COVID-19 vaccination appointments are available online through the National Booking System or via 119. An open letter from the National Health Service, charity and community leaders to people with a weakened immune system was published on 26 May 2022, encouraging individuals who are immunosuppressed to book an appointment or visit a walk-in centre to receive their vaccination. The letter is available at the following link:
The Government has also published guidance for those people whose immune system means that they are at higher risk from COVID-19. This guidance provides advice on vaccinations and treatments as well as protective behaviours to reduce the risk of infection. The guidance is available at the following link:
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) data on covid-19 data is robust and publicly accessible and (b) the public can continue to assess local risk of covid-19.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Statistics are produced and released in line with the principles set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics, ensuring high quality and accessibility.
The content and frequency of reporting on COVID-19, such as the ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK’ dashboard published on GOV.UK, is kept under review. The dashboard includes local data on testing, cases, vaccination, hospitalisation and deaths. The Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey is the Government’s community surveillance programme. The ONS publishes weekly insights on infections across the United Kingdom, which includes sub-regional estimates of the proportion of people testing positive for COVID-19.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for leading the COVID-19 enhanced protection programme (EPP); and what is the process for (1) charities, and (2) patient organisations, to be designated as stakeholders for the programme.
Answered by Lord Kamall
We regularly engage with charities and patient organisation representing and supporting immunocompromised and immunosuppressed people. Further to discussions with these groups, we are establishing an engagement forum for charities and patient organisations to discuss issues relating to the enhanced protection programme and to seek the views of these stakeholders in advance of any updates to guidance. We will continue to update these stakeholders on the enhanced protection programme through webinars, meetings and correspondence.
The enhanced protection programme is a tripartite scheme administered by the Department, NHS England and NHS Improvement and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Dame Jenny Harries, the Chief Executive of the UKHSA, is the senior responsible owner for the
programme. There is no formal process for designating patient organisations as stakeholders for the programme.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) communicate, and (2) consult, with (a) charities, and (b) patient organisations, as part of the COVID-19 enhanced protection programme (EPP); and what format this will take.
Answered by Lord Kamall
We regularly engage with charities and patient organisation representing and supporting immunocompromised and immunosuppressed people. Further to discussions with these groups, we are establishing an engagement forum for charities and patient organisations to discuss issues relating to the enhanced protection programme and to seek the views of these stakeholders in advance of any updates to guidance. We will continue to update these stakeholders on the enhanced protection programme through webinars, meetings and correspondence.
The enhanced protection programme is a tripartite scheme administered by the Department, NHS England and NHS Improvement and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Dame Jenny Harries, the Chief Executive of the UKHSA, is the senior responsible owner for the
programme. There is no formal process for designating patient organisations as stakeholders for the programme.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall on 27 April (HL7561), what conclusions they have reached following meetings with groups representing the immunocompromised community on how they can be involved in (1) creating, and (2) disseminating, (a) communication, and (b) guidance, to people about how to safely manage their ongoing risk.
Answered by Lord Kamall
We regularly engage with charities and patient organisation representing and supporting immunocompromised and immunosuppressed people. Further to discussions with these groups, we are establishing an engagement forum for charities and patient organisations to discuss issues relating to the enhanced protection programme and to seek the views of these stakeholders in advance of any updates to guidance. We will continue to update these stakeholders on the enhanced protection programme through webinars, meetings and correspondence.
The enhanced protection programme is a tripartite scheme administered by the Department, NHS England and NHS Improvement and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Dame Jenny Harries, the Chief Executive of the UKHSA, is the senior responsible owner for the
programme. There is no formal process for designating patient organisations as stakeholders for the programme.