The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Sajid Javid)
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on
the omicron variant and the steps we are taking to keep our country
safe. We have always known that a worrying new variant could be a
threat to the progress that we have made as a nation. We are
entering the winter in a strong position, thanks to the decisions
we made in the summer and the defences we have built. Our
vaccination programme has been...Request free trial
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care ()
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on
the omicron variant and the steps we are taking to keep our
country safe. We have always known that a worrying new variant
could be a threat to the progress that we have made as a nation.
We are entering the winter in a strong position, thanks to the
decisions we made in the summer and the defences we have built.
Our vaccination programme has been moving at a blistering pace,
and this weekend we reached the milestone of 17 million boosters
across the UK. This means that even though cases have been
rising, hospital admissions have fallen by a further 11% in the
past week and deaths have fallen by 17%.
Just as the vaccination programme has shifted the odds in our
favour, a worrying new variant has always had the opportunity to
shift them back. Last week, I was alerted to what is now known as
the omicron variant, which has now been designated a variant of
concern by the World Health Organisation. We are learning more
about this new variant all the time, but the latest indication is
that it spreads very rapidly; it may impact the effectiveness of
one of our major treatments for covid-19, Ronapreve; and, as the
chief medical officer said this weekend, there is a reasonable
chance that our current vaccines may be impacted.
I can update the House that there have now been five confirmed
cases in England and six confirmed cases in Scotland. We expect
cases to rise over the coming days. The new variant has been
spreading around the world: confirmed cases have been reported in
many more countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech
Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and
Portugal.
In the race between the vaccines and the virus, the new variant
may have given the virus extra legs, so our strategy is to buy
ourselves time and strengthen our defences while our
world-leading scientists learn more about this potential threat.
On Friday, I updated the House on the measures we have put in
place, including how, within hours, we had placed six countries
in southern Africa on the travel red list. Today, I wish to
update the House on more of the balanced and proportionate steps
we are taking.
First, we are taking measures at the border to slow the incursion
of the variant from abroad. On Saturday, in line with updated
advice from the UK Health Security Agency, we acted quickly to
add another four countries—Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and
Zambia—to the travel red list. That means that anyone who is not
a UK or Irish national or resident and who has been in any of
those countries over the previous 10 days will be refused entry.
Those who are allowed entry must isolate in a Government-approved
facility for 10 days.
Beyond the red list, we are going further to put in place a
proportionate testing regime for arrivals from all around the
world. We will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR
test by the end of the second day after they arrive and to
self-isolate until they have received a negative result. The
relevant regulations have been laid before the House today and
will come into effect at 4 am tomorrow.
Secondly, we have announced measures to slow the spread of the
virus here in the UK. We are making changes to our rules on
self-isolation for close contacts in England to reflect the
greater threat that may be posed by the new variant. Close
contacts of anyone who tests positive with a suspected case of
omicron must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of whether they
have been vaccinated or not. Face coverings will be made
compulsory in shops and on public transport in England unless an
individual has a medical exemption.
The regulations on self-isolation and face coverings have been
laid before the House today and will come into force at 4 am
tomorrow. I can confirm to the House that there will be a debate
and votes on the two measures, to give the House the opportunity
to have its say and to perform valuable scrutiny. My right hon.
Friend the Leader of the House will set out more details shortly.
We will review all the measures I have set out today after three
weeks to see whether they are still necessary.
Thirdly, we are strengthening the defences we have built against
the virus. We are already in a stronger position than we were in
when we faced the delta variant: we have a much greater capacity
for testing, an enhanced ability for sequencing and the
collective protection offered by 114 million jabs in arms. I wish
to update the House on our vaccination programme. Our covid-19
vaccination programme has been a national success story. We have
delivered more booster doses than anywhere else in Europe and
given top-up jabs to more than one in three people over the age
of 18 across the United Kingdom. I take this opportunity to pay
tribute to the NHS, the volunteers, the armed forces and everyone
else who has been involved in this life-saving work.
Our vaccines remain our best line of defence against this virus
in whatever form it attacks us. There is a lot that we do not
know about how our vaccines will respond to this new variant,
but, although it is possible that they may be less effective, it
is highly unlikely that they will have no effectiveness at all
against serious disease, so it is really important that we get as
many jabs in arms as possible. Over the next few weeks, we were
already planning to do 6 million booster jabs in England alone,
but against the backdrop of this new variant we want to go
further and faster.
I asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the
Government’s independent expert advisers on vaccinations, to
urgently review how we could expand the programme, and whether we
should reduce the gap between second doses and boosters. The JCVI
published its advice in the last hour: first, it advised that the
minimum dose interval for booster jabs should be halved from six
months to three months; secondly, that the booster programme
should be expanded to include all remaining adults aged 18 and
above; thirdly, that these boosters should be offered by age
group in a descending order to protect those who are most
vulnerable to the virus—priority will be given to older adults
and people over 16 who are at risk; fourthly, that severely
immunosuppressed people aged 16 or above who have received three
primary doses should now also be offered a booster dose; and
finally, that children aged between 12 and 15 should be given a
second dose 12 weeks from the first dose. I have accepted this
advice in full. With this new variant on the offensive, these
measures will protect more people more quickly and make us better
protected as a nation. It represents a huge step up for our
vaccination programme, almost doubling the number of people who
will be able to get a booster dose to protect themselves and
their loved ones.
I know that we are asking more from NHS colleagues who have
already given so much throughout this crisis, but I also know
that they will be up to the task. The NHS will be calling people
forward at the appropriate time, so that those who are most
vulnerable will be prioritised. I will be setting out more
details of how we are putting this advice into action in the
coming days.
Our fight against this virus is a global effort, so I will update
the House on the part that the UK is playing. We currently hold
the presidency of the G7, and, earlier today, I convened an
urgent meeting of G7 Health Ministers to co-ordinate the
international response. We were unanimous in our praise for the
leadership shown by South Africa, which was so open and
transparent about this new variant. We were resolute in our
commitment to working closely with each other, the World Health
Organisation and, of course, the wider international community to
tackle this common threat.
Our experience of fighting this virus has shown us that it is
best to act decisively and swiftly when we see a potential
threat, which is why we are building our defences and putting
these measures in place without delay. Scientists are working at
speed, at home and abroad, to determine whether this variant is
more dangerous. I can assure the House that if it emerges that
this variant is no more dangerous than the delta variant, we will
not keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary.
Covid-19 is not going away, which means that we will keep seeing
new variants emerge. If we want to live with the virus for the
long-term, we must follow the evidence and act in a proportionate
and responsible way if a variant has the potential to thwart our
progress. As we do that, we are taking a well-rounded view,
looking at the impact of these measures not just on the virus,
but on the economy, on education, and on non-covid health, such
as mental health. I am confident that these balanced and
responsible steps are proportionate to the threat that we
face.
This year, our nation has come so far down the road of recovery,
but we always knew that there would be bumps in the road. This is
not a time to waver, but a time to be vigilant and to think about
what each and every one of us can do to slow the spread of this
new variant—things such as getting a jab when the time comes,
following the rules that we have put in place, and getting rapid,
regular tests. If we all come together once again, then we can
keep this virus at bay and protect the progress that we have
made. I commend this statement to the House.
15:44:00
(Tooting) (Lab)
I start by sending my best wishes to the shadow Secretary of
State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester South
(), who cannot be here as
he is off with covid; we all hope that he gets better soon.
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his
statement. This variant is a wake-up call: the pandemic is not
over. We need to act with speed to bolster our defences and keep
the virus at bay. It is also an important reminder that no one is
safe until all of us are safe. Ministers have not met the
commitments that were made at the G7 this summer to get the
vaccine rolled out to other parts of the globe. What update can
the Secretary of State give on the Government’s global
commitments?
Given that omicron is already here, what we do at home truly
matters. There are measures that we can put in place right now to
keep infections down and ensure that the country has the best
possible protection. Will the Secretary of State set out the
rationale for not introducing pre-departure testing? Surely that
would be an effective way of preventing people with covid from
travelling into our country.
We support the decision to introduce measures on masks on public
transport and in shops, but we believe that those requirements
should never have been abandoned in the first place. Keeping in
place requirements for masks would always have been our plan A.
Will the Secretary of State extend measures on the use of masks
to hospitality and other settings, or does covid not spread in
pubs? Most importantly, what is the plan to enforce mask wearing?
Shop workers have given so much during the last 20 months,
alongside our emergency services. Asking shop workers to enforce
mask wearing is yet another pressure that they do not need and do
not deserve.
If masks had been mandatory, it would have been harder for this
new variant to spread. A global study published in The BMJ argued
that face mask wearing can bring transmission down by as much as
53%. This Government’s flip-flopping on masks has created
confusion across schools, colleges and universities, so will the
Secretary of State today confirm the new requirements across all
education settings? The Prime Minister is not the best person to
tell people to wear masks, when he cannot even be bothered to
wear one himself when he goes into a hospital full of vulnerable
patients—and may I ask the Secretary of State when Conservative
Back Benchers will start wearing their masks?
Will the Secretary of State update the House on when he expects
there to be a decision on vaccinations for younger children? The
Government have fallen far short of their own target to offer all
12 to 15-year-olds the vaccine by October half-term, so can he
say what action will be taken to speed up vaccine roll-out?
Our NHS has done us proud, and has done a fantastic job of
delivering the vaccine, offering first, second, third and booster
jabs, all at the same time as treating patients who are suffering
from covid and trying to recover when it comes to elective
procedures. I thank everyone who works in our NHS and care
sector. We are putting even more demands on them at the moment.
Our NHS has stepped up to the challenge; it is a shame that this
Government simply have not.
Among those with mental illnesses, vaccine rates are low and
mortality rates high. The Government need to stop weaponising
mental health, and must instead recognise that good, clear,
honest communication, which they have failed to have so far, is
so important in a crisis. I know that I have mentioned this time
and again, but the Government must acknowledge the trauma for
people with severe covid and long covid, and for NHS staff, so
where is their plan?
Labour has been clear throughout this pandemic that proper sick
pay will help people to isolate. The Government have chosen to
ignore us time and again, so I ask again: what support will be
available to people who need to self-isolate? Is not this the
time to finally fix sick pay? I would appreciate it if the
Secretary of State updated the House on the new antivirals and
how they will be used. Why are the Government not already giving
antibody tests to the immunocompromised? The situation we find
ourselves in was entirely predictable. Yet again, this Government
have shown that they are incapable of protecting our communities,
protecting our NHS and saving lives.
I, too, extend my best wishes to the shadow Health Secretary and
wish him a speedy recovery.
I have to say that I think the hon. Lady has misjudged the tone
of the House. This is a very serious matter. The whole country
will be looking for all Members of this House to work together
and support the nation. Surely she is not blaming the UK
Government for the emergence of the new variant. Perhaps she was
just auditioning for the reshuffle that is going on in her party
right now.
The hon. Lady asked about international donations. The UK is
leading the world on international donations—quite rightly. It is
absolutely right that that be treated as a priority. We would
like to see other countries step up as well. A few months back,
the Prime Minister pledged 100 million donations by June 2022,
80% of which will go through COVAX, of which we are a huge
supporter; 20% will be made bilaterally. So far, we have donated
over 20 million doses—more than many other countries. COVAX,
which we helped found, and which we support, has donated, I
believe, some 537 million doses to 144 countries.
The hon. Lady asked about the rules on travel and masks, and
other rules that I set out. I think I have addressed that. I
believe that the measures are proportionate, and that this is a
balanced response. We have just set out a huge expansion of the
vaccine roll-out programme, and it is a shame that the hon. Lady
could not find it in herself to welcome that. As I said, I will
set out more details in coming days on exactly how we intend to
meet the requirement to vaccinate more.
On antivirals, we are one of few countries in the world to have
procured the two leading antivirals. Our independent regulator,
the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, was the
first in the world to approve one of those antivirals. I am
pleased with the over 700,000 courses that we have for citizens
across the United Kingdom, but of course, given the emergence of
the new variant, we will be reviewing that and seeing if more
needs to be done.
(South West Surrey) (Con)
The late Donald Rumsfeld coined the phrase, “known unknowns”, and
that is what we face with the new omicron virus. The Secretary of
State is therefore absolutely right to take sensible and
proportionate measures to buy time while we wait to understand
how dangerous this new variant can be, but does he not agree that
the fact that we face this danger is a symptom of the failure of
western countries to make sure that vaccines are distributed
adequately around the world? I recognise the enormous
contribution that the UK has made through COVAX, the development
of the AstraZeneca vaccine and so on, but is it not a moral and
practical failure that while richer countries have managed to
vaccinate 60% of their populations, for poorer countries the
figure is just 3%?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his support. I agree with his
words. It is important that all rich countries do everything they
can to support the donation of vaccines to developing countries.
I set out earlier what the UK has done, and we can be proud of
that, but we need other countries to step up. In the G7 meeting I
chaired earlier today with Health Ministers, we all agreed on the
importance of this, and about redoubling efforts to make sure
that all commitments are met.
(Gordon) (SNP)
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his
statement, and I add my own thanks for the work that the NHS does
and continues to do in all parts of these islands to keep us all
healthy and safe. The emergence of omicron, including the six
cases in Scotland, along with the evidence of community
transmission, shows that this is absolutely no time to be
complacent. For all the measures being taken at the border, with
day two PCR testing, we risk missing a number of cases as they
cross the border because of the incubation period. Surely a more
effective approach would be to introduce day eight PCR testing,
accompanied by eight days of isolation—and surely it would be
better to do that now, than to be bounced into doing that by
events further down the line.
Secondly, the Secretary of State issues a call for us all to work
together, and I am sure we all wish to be able to do that, but
does he share my disappointment that when the First Ministers of
Scotland and Wales today called for a Cobra meeting to be
convened, that possibility appeared to have been dismissed out of
hand already? Will the Secretary of State prevail on the Prime
Minister to convene and attend an urgent Cobra meeting involving
all four nations, so that people might be persuaded that he is on
top of this development, as we would all expect him to be?
Finally, does the Secretary of State agree with the Opposition
Front-Bench spokesperson, the Chair of the Select Committee and
me that the emergence of this variant shows that none of us is
safe until all of us are safe? However much is being done, and
however much the UK has done to date, more still needs to be done
to achieve as close to 100% global vaccination as possible,
including through the vaccination programmes we are in, and by
increasing global vaccine production and overcoming the barriers
that patent law might place in the way of our achieving that.
First, on the hon. Gentleman’s question on day two testing, we
believe that the day two testing requirement for international
travel is the proportionate response. He will know that it
applies to all arrivals to the UK, and that the individual would
have to self-isolate until they got a negative test result, and I
think that is the right response.
In terms of meetings and the UK nations working together, that
has been one of the successes of the UK’s response to the
pandemic. The way that nations across the UK have worked
together, especially on vaccines, testing, surveillance and
antivirals, shows that we are stronger together.
(Tunbridge Wells) (Con)
Sir Andrew Pollard, who developed the Oxford vaccine, predicted
in June to my Select Committee that new variants would escape the
vaccines by being more infectious, but said that protection
against severe illness should continue. Will my right hon. Friend
avoid taking any panic measures if we see a rise in infections in
the weeks ahead, as seems inevitable, and concentrate instead on
the vaccine’s effectiveness against severe illness and
hospitalisation?
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. As I said in my
statement, even in the case of the dominant delta variant, we
have seen some rises in infections, but also falls in
hospitalisation and death rates, thankfully. The reason for that
is the power of the vaccines, and especially our booster
programme, which is the largest in Europe. He is absolutely
right: with the new variant, as we look ahead, what matters more
than anything is hospitalisations.
(Eltham) (Lab)
The second line in the Secretary of State’s statement was:
“We have always known that a worrying new variant could be a
threat to the progress that we have made as a nation.”
With that in mind, does he think it was wrong for the Government
to abandon mask wearing in public places and confined spaces?
Will he listen to the recommendations of Doreen Lawrence’s report
and start to issue full-face protection masks to care workers and
health workers?
Surely the hon. Gentleman is not suggesting that if we had had
different rules on masks over the summer, this variant would not
have emerged.
Dame (South Northamptonshire)
(Con)
I am sure that my right hon. Friend will want to pay tribute to
the South African Government for raising the existence of the
omicron variant, which resulted in their having a travel ban
imposed. I have constituents—and, in fact, a family member—stuck
in South Africa. For how long does he expect cancellations and
suspensions of flights to occur? It is a worrying time for anyone
stuck overseas.
First, I join my right hon. Friend in again expressing thanks to
the South African Government for how they have handled this
difficult situation. I understand her point about her
constituents. Many of us will have constituents in a similar
position. It is hard to say when direct flights might start. We
have started our hotel booking programme, which is one part of
trying to get our citizens back, but we will do everything we can
to support them in that way.
(Walsall South) (Lab)
We have quite rightly praised the South African doctor, but she
saw her patient face to face. What advice, guidance or
instruction will the Secretary of State give to GPs? I know that
my constituents are keen to see their GPs face to face, which may
be more effective than Test and Trace.
The right hon. Lady asks an important question. One thing that we
are doing is updating guidance throughout the NHS, including for
primary care.
(Forest of Dean) (Con)
The Secretary of State said in his statement about the
legislation that he has laid before the House—incidentally, it is
not yet available on legislation.gov.uk for Members to study—that
close contacts of anyone who tests positive with a suspected case
of omicron must self-isolate for 10 days regardless of whether
they have been vaccinated. First, will he confirm that that is in
the regulations? Secondly, for the benefit of the House, will he
set out what he did yesterday in television studios: the
mechanism by which the omicron variant will be identified and
communicated to people contacted by Test and Trace, so that we
all know how it will work? It is more complicated than the system
that we have had to date.
I can confirm that the new regulation on close contact will be
anyone who is a close contact of someone with a confirmed
positive case of suspected omicron. The UKHSA is working at speed
on the best ways to determine a suspected case. One way is the
so-called S-gene drop-out test, but there are other quick ways to
ascertain that. The tracing work will be carried out by Test and
Trace.
(St Albans) (LD)
It is often said that how a society treats its most vulnerable is
a measure of its humanity, yet a quarter of the clinically
extremely vulnerable have yet to receive their third primary dose
because of confusion that persists about the third primary dose
and the booster. One in five of the clinically extremely
vulnerable are still shielding without any Government guidance or
support. For them, the uncertainty of the new variant is
terrifying. Will the Secretary of State or one of his Ministers
please meet me and patient groups to discuss our five-point plan
on how we can protect the clinically extremely vulnerable this
winter?
The vaccines Minister, the Under-Secretary of State for Health
and Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (), is meeting patient groups
this week and she is also happy to meet the hon. Lady.
(West Suffolk) (Con)
May I join others in welcoming the well-judged and rapid action
this weekend as well as the acceleration of boosters, including
the new provision of a mass vaccination this weekend in
Newmarket? Existing vaccinations—including boosters—are effective
against all known major variants before omicron, but will the
Secretary of State set out plans for a variant vaccine, should
that be needed in the worst-case scenario?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his support. The UK has been
supporting a new vaccines programme largely thanks to his efforts
when he was in my position. That work continues. If it is
necessary to procure new vaccines that we believe are safe and
effective and will help with the new variant, we will do so.
(Luton North) (Lab)
said yesterday that the chief
medical officer urgently needs to teach the Prime Minister “some
basic medical facts”, and I would say that that could probably be
extended to some of those on the Government Back Benches as well,
meaning that we are not going to stop the threat of variants—
(Elmet and Rothwell)
(Con)
Why don’t you learn food mechanics then?
Mr Speaker
Order. Mr Shelbrooke, I thought you might have been going on the
NATO delegation, and I do not want to hear that you have missed
out on it.
We are not going to stop the threat of variants derailing our
progress until we vaccinate the world. Our country has enough
vaccine to give at least three doses to everybody, yet of the 100
million doses that were pledged by the Prime Minister to the
world’s poorest, less than 10% have actually been delivered. Can
the Secretary of State tell us if the PM will meet his ambition
to help vaccinate the world by the end of 2021, or is that yet
another broken promise with catastrophic consequences?
I said earlier that, out of the 100 million commitment that the
UK has made to international donations, over 20 million have
already gone and been delivered, and another 10 million are about
to go.
(Bexhill and Battle) (Con)
The return of PCR testing will be met with some apprehension by
the international travel sector, which has just been getting back
on its feet, but it will at least be cheered by the Secretary of
State’s statement that we will not keep measures in place for a
day longer than is necessary. Can I ask the Secretary of State to
ensure that the providers of PCR tests are those that will
actually give accurate, good-value testing back to the public,
and that we will not see some of the issues that arose over the
summer repeat themselves?
My hon. Friend makes a very important point. I know he rightly
takes a close interest in this; we do want to minimise any impact
on our excellent transport and travel sector. He is right to
raise the importance of making sure that PCR tests are available,
the pricing is correct and the Government website where providers
are listed is properly monitored so that anyone who breaks the
rules is delisted.
(Worsley and Eccles South)
(Lab)
Although the measures taken so far are welcome, now that we have
community transmission of omicron in Brentwood and in Scotland,
we need more protective interventions. Mask wearing can obviously
play an important part, so can the Secretary of State say whether
he agrees with the call from the British Medical Association to
extend it to all indoor and enclosed settings? Will he also
consider measures to increase ventilation in enclosed settings,
encourage working from home and give proper sick pay to those who
need to isolate?
I think we have been clear about why we have set out the new
rules on masks, and I think our response is the proportionate
one. The hon. Lady is right to raise the importance of
ventilation. That is why it is very clear in the guidelines, and
many places are following that. When it comes to sick pay, it is
right that we have kept the rules in place that allow people,
should they test positive or have to self-isolate, to claim sick
pay from day one.
(Chipping Barnet)
(Con)
If the situation deteriorates—we all hope it will not, but if it
does—please can the Government do everything possible not to shut
down the hospitality and events sector again? The livelihoods of
millions of people depend on it, and they are just getting back
on their feet. Please, let us not knock them down again.
I agree absolutely with my right hon. Friend.
(Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
(Alba)
The emergence of omicron is not really much of a surprise; it is
more a case of when, not if. Anecdotal evidence from South Africa
suggests that, while it may be more infectious, the potency seems
to be more limited. Of particular concern are the mutations to
the spike protein in two specific areas, so what action are the
Government taking to put in additional resources to adjuvant
therapy development, especially given the impact on monoclonal
antibody therapies and the vaccine, and what is the status of
genomic surveillance in the UK at present?
First, I think it is fair to say that our genomics surveillance
has never been so strong. It was getting stronger even before the
pandemic, but because of the pandemic, there has been a huge
amount of investment, and it has paid off UK-wide. On the
treatments, there is some concern about this new variant and
Ronapreve, which is one of the key monoclonal antibodies that we
use for treatment, but it is just concern at this point; there is
no particular evidence. However, part of the reason for taking
these measures is to buy the time we need—two to three weeks—to
give our scientists time to assess the risk of this variant
properly.
(Altrincham and Sale West)
(Con)
First, what assessment has the Secretary of State made of the
early reports from South Africa that the variant may actually
lead to less severe illness than the previous variants? Secondly,
I welcome the fact that we will have both a debate and vote
tomorrow on these regulations, but would it not be better if we
had the debate and the vote before the restrictions come into
force, rather than after?
I believe that right after my statement the Leader of the House
will be making a statement about the debate and vote
tomorrow.
On the severity, there are reports, as my hon. Friend has said,
but it is early days and we are looking into them, talking with
our South African friends and getting more details. It is worth
pointing out the difference in age profile and demographics: in
South Africa, people with covid are on average younger, and we
are taking that into account as well.
(Battersea) (Lab)
The Secretary of State set out the booster programme for the
vaccines in his statement but has not mentioned what steps he
will be taking to support those areas where take-up of the
vaccine is still very low: what additional resources will be
provided to those areas?
That is an important point and the hon. Lady is right to raise
it. We estimate that 5 million people across the UK have not even
taken up the offer of their first dose of the vaccine, putting
themselves and their loved ones at great risk. A lot of work has
been done over the past few months and it is bearing results: we
are seeing ever more people coming forward, especially in the
past few weeks. Indeed, many came forward this weekend, perhaps
out of concern about the new variant. A lot of work is being done
with community leaders, and there is an existing communications
campaign but a new one will start imminently.
(New Forest West) (Con)
Over the last few months there has been a useful control
experiment on face coverings, given the different policies
pursued in Scotland and England. What estimate has the Secretary
of State made of the result? It is mumbo-jumbo, isn’t it?
If my right hon. Friend is suggesting that there are mixed views
on the efficacy of face coverings in helping to fight the
pandemic he would be right, but I would point him to UK work by
Public Health England—published, if I remember correctly, last
month—referring to a number of reports setting out how in certain
settings face coverings could help.
(Hornsey and Wood Green)
(Lab)
What urgent action is being taken to vaccinate people who are
bed-bound?
For those who are bed-bound, home-bound or vulnerable for other
reasons and who cannot make it to vaccination centres,
vaccinations are primarily carried out by GPs. I do not have the
numbers of how many have been done, but recently to encourage
more people to be vaccinated more quickly we changed the GP
payment system, which seems to have helped as well.
(Newcastle-under-Lyme)
(Con)
The Opposition often call for more restrictions, but it was the
relaxation of restrictions this summer, which the Government took
under scientific advice, that has put Britain in a good position
prior to the emergence of this variant. While I welcome the
statement and the proportionate precautionary measures the
Secretary of State has taken today, will he assure me and the
House that this is a temporary measure, and that when we get more
information and have bought more time, we will get new measures
to react to that information?
Yes, I am very happy to give that assurance to my hon. Friend. He
is absolutely right that this is all about buying a bit of time
that our scientists need to assess this variant properly and to
determine what it really is and whether we should really be
worried about it or not. He is also right to point out that we
took measures in the summer removing almost all domestic rules
and controls and that they turned out to be absolutely the right
measures. Many of my counterparts in Europe now believe they
should have taken a similar route, but I remember that all those
measures were opposed by the Labour party.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
Immuno-compromised people continue to be worried: many still do
not know whether the vaccination works on them. The
OCTAVE—Observational Cohort Trial-T-cells Antibodies and Vaccine
Efficacy in SARS-CoV-2—study showed that around 150,000 people
potentially have reduced or no antibody response, but OCTAVE-DUO
is not due to report until early next year. Will the Secretary of
State ensure that the immunocompromised population has access to
antibody tests, thus allowing them to know their level of
protection? Will he ensure that those with little or no
protection have the support they need to stay safe?
Yes, of course. We want to make sure that we are helping people
who are immunosuppressed in every way possible, including with
access to any tests that might be clinically required. The hon.
Lady may have noted that in the JCVI advice that I referred to,
there is a recommendation, which we have accepted, that those who
are immunosuppressed and are able to benefit from the vaccine to
some extent should be offered a booster dose on top of the third
primary dose. The antivirals are also very important for that
group of vulnerable people, and it is good that the UK has
procured them.
(Isle of Wight) (Con)
Will the Secretary of State, on behalf of the Government,
reassure me that the Foreign Office and its consular service will
be doing all they can? I am already receiving calls from
Islanders stuck in southern Africa who are worried about their
ability to get back.
Yes, I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. We have been
working closely with colleagues in the Foreign Office, and that
will remain vital work so that we can help people—UK citizens or
Irish citizens—who might be stuck abroad to come back.
(Leeds Central) (Lab)
Given the change to the rules for booster vaccinations announced
by the JCVI this afternoon, how long does the Secretary of State
think it will be before all the people between 18 and 40 who have
had their first and second jabs can come forward and receive the
booster jab, so that as much of the population as possible is
protected?
First, I can tell the right hon. Gentleman that we have already
done 17 million, which is almost one third of the adult
population. That is more than any other country in Europe.
However, he is right to ask how quickly we can do those who will
become newly eligible. I will have to come back to the House and
set out details about how we intend to meet this advice. The
advice was received very quickly from the JCVI over the weekend;
it did stellar work to turn it around so quickly. I have already
asked the NHS about operationalising it. We are not quite there
yet, but we will be very shortly, and I will set that out.
(South Dorset) (Con)
None of us underplayed the threat of any new variant. As my right
hon. Friend has said today, covid is not going to go away. It is
not; it is here for the rest of our lives. The country is
learning to live with the disease, which is the only way forward.
Will he please reassure me, the House and the country that he
will never, ever go back to locking this country down?
No one wants to see those kinds of measures. I agree with my hon.
Friend that covid is with us to stay and we need to learn to live
with it. I think the best way we can do that is with the primary
form of defence that we have, which is our vaccination programme.
I hope he agrees that we are absolutely right to basically put
the booster programme on steroids, because that will really help
us.
(Hove) (Lab)
One of the most covid-vulnerable settings in the country is
school classrooms. Children have a much lower vaccination rate
than adults, and children come from all over communities to one
place and then return to families in the afternoon. Masks are
being returned to corridors, but they are not being returned to
classrooms. I take no pleasure in advising the Secretary of State
to make children wear masks in classrooms. However, it is
absolutely clear what the stakes will be if we get this wrong.
Students have already been absent from schools in their hundreds
of thousands this term, and we are approaching the exam season.
If we just act cautiously in the next few days, exams will be
able to be sat as normal; if we get this wrong, exams will be
wrecked for the third year running. That will play havoc with
students’ futures, and it will play havoc with teachers and their
ability to get the job done on behalf of our country.
The hon. Gentleman will know that the Department for Education
today set out fresh guidance on masks in communal areas—
Not in classrooms.
Not in classrooms. I think what the Government have set out is
the right approach. In terms of protecting children from the
pandemic, the vaccination programme for children—especially
secondary school children—is important. I think over 40% of 12 to
15-year-olds have been vaccinated. That has certainly increased
since we opened up the national booking system to that cohort. I
think the figure for 16 and 17-year-olds is almost 60% now, but
we continue to work on it.
(North West Leicestershire)
(Con)
My right hon. Friend has outlined the Government response to the
emergence of the omicron variant and the restrictions he wishes
to place on the public. This House will quite rightly have a vote
on those measures. He has also stated that the measures will be
reviewed in three weeks’ time. He knows that in three weeks’ time
this House will be in recess. How will there be parliamentary
scrutiny of the Government’s review measures, or will we be
having Government by diktat?
The review should take place as soon as possible. That is how the
Government determined the three weeks. Unless Parliament was
called back from recess or the Government took longer than three
weeks, I think the approach the Government have set out is the
right one.
(Brighton, Pavilion)
(Green)
The Secretary of State says that rich countries must do
everything they can to ensure more vaccines reach the global
south. Judging by his actions, he means doing everything except
the main thing those countries are actually asking for: waiving
intellectual property rules at the World Trade Organisation so
they can manufacture vaccines themselves. This is about justice,
not charity. Will he admit that his Government’s failure to work
with the vast majority of countries in the world, including the
United States which does support a TRIPS—trade-related aspects of
intellectual property rights agreement—waiver, is endangering us
all? When will he start putting the need to end the pandemic in
front of the financial interests of big pharma?
I heard what the hon. Lady had to say, but the UK does not
believe that waiving patent rights and intellectual property
rights on these vaccines would be helpful. It would certainly
mean that in the future there would be a huge disincentive for
pharmaceutical companies to come forward and help the world with
their technology.
(Broxbourne) (Con)
I say to the Secretary of State that injecting people, not just
in this country but around the world, is a huge logistical
undertaking. I believe that in India nasal vaccines are used for
the administration of the flu vaccine. Please can the Government
bring forward nasal vaccines? We did it in nine months for an
injectable vaccine—March 2020 to December 2020. It is now nearly
December 2021 and there is still no nasal vaccine, despite high
levels of efficacy being proven in trials.
My hon. Friend is right to raise the importance of vaccine
delivery mechanisms. If there was an approved nasal vaccine
delivery mechanism, it would be helpful. He will understand that
we have to allow the regulators the time to assess new delivery
mechanisms, but we do take this very seriously.
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
I wholeheartedly agree that no one is safe until we are all safe,
and the UK and other G7 countries need to take some
responsibility for the emergence of this variant. I just wanted
to touch on the fact that we already have community spread of
this variant. If we are to contain it, we must ensure that
contact tracing is relevant and as widespread as possible. Can
the Secretary of State confirm—I have asked him about this in the
last few weeks—that the contain outbreak management fund will be
extended beyond March; that those places that do not have it will
have it; and that those that have already spent it will be
properly resourced?
The hon. Lady makes an important point about contact tracing. On
the contain outbreak management fund, especially given the
emergence of this variant, we are actively reviewing it.
(Winchester) (Con)
I welcome the widening of the booster programme that the
Secretary of State announced, but my constituents still have no
walk-in access in Winchester. I would therefore really appreciate
his help with that, on behalf of the increasing number of
constituents who are contacting me.
The measures we will be asked to approve tomorrow night will
likely appear rather small in and of themselves, but the
Secretary of State knows that the wider impact of the past few
days is absolutely huge. Nativity plays have been cancelled or
moved online—these are moments that we just do not get back—and
community events are being cancelled just in case. The Prime
Minister said this lunchtime that if you are boosted, we know
your response to this variant is strong. What evidence base is
that drawn from, and when might we reasonably expect data from
the scientists on how, if at all, the variant hits vaccine
efficacy?
First, I noted what my hon. Friend said about walk-in access in
Hampshire, so I will take that away and get back to him.
Secondly, he is right to talk about the impact of these measures.
Although I believe that they are right, proportionate and
balanced, we must never forget the impact that they have on
individuals and their daily lives. That is why they must be
removed the moment it is safe to remove them. In terms of when we
will have more data, we have set a three-week review point
because that is the time when we believe that we will have more
information—not just the information that we will have come up
with, but information through our international counterparts.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Secretary of State and his team for all they do to
combat covid-19 in the UK. This has an effect on Northern
Ireland; the Northern Ireland Health Minister said yesterday that
Northern Ireland will follow the guidance that comes from
Westminster. With that in mind, having heard a leading Northern
Ireland scientist say this week that he believes that the current
vaccination and booster roll-out will have an effect on the new
variant, will the Secretary of State assure us that any and all
curtailments, such as those faced by the travel industry, will be
proportionate and scientific, taking into account transmission
and the seriousness of the new covid variant?
Yes, I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance.
(New Forest East) (Con)
As someone who, very thankfully, received his booster jab last
Thursday at the outstanding St Thomas’ Hospital, may I ask the
Secretary of State why certain groups and communities seem to
fear vaccination? Which are those groups and communities, and
what can be done to persuade them that they are wrong?
There are many communities where vaccine take-up is lower than
others. That has particularly been the case in the black African
community in Britain and in some other black and minority ethnic
communities—that has improved significantly over the past two to
three months. The same is also the case in many other European
countries and the US. A huge amount of work is being done through
community leaders and communication campaigns, and by offering
access to the vaccine in as many different ways as possible to
encourage take-up.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
Will the Secretary of State talk a bit more about the
transmissibility of the omicron variant and the efficacy of
vaccines on it, given that Australia has some of the toughest
entry requirements of any country in the world, yet the variant
has basically got through a concrete wall?
That is an important point. It is fair to say that we do not know
enough yet—I do not think Australia or any other country does,
for that matter—but we know enough to justify the action that has
been taken. From that, there is emerging evidence that this
variant is more transmissible, but I do not think we can describe
that as conclusive at this point. On vaccine efficacy, I point to
what I said earlier about taking the time to determine that.
(Colne Valley) (Con)
I welcome the speedy and decisive action taken by the Government
over the weekend in response to the new variant. I also welcome
the delivery of 17.5 million boosters. Will the Secretary of
State join me in thanking not only my pharmacy-led vaccination
centres, where I had my first and second doses of AZ, but my
GP-led clinics, where I had my Pfizer booster? Is he confident
that the infrastructure and the robust supply of vaccines are in
place as we try to deliver 6 million more booster vaccines over
the next three weeks?
We are very confident about the supply that we have, including
accommodating the new advice that I have accepted from the JCVI.
I join my hon. Friend in thanking the many thousands of GPs
across the country who have been crucial to our vaccine
programme.
May I take a moment to address the question that my right hon.
Friend the Member for Forest of Dean (Mr Harper) asked about the
timing of laying the regulations? I want to clarify that the
regulations setting out the new measures have been made by the
Minister for public health and vaccines—the Under-Secretary of
State, my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash ()—and are in the process of
being registered with the National Archives. They will then be
laid before Parliament and should be available to review online
at around 5 pm.
(Rhondda) (Lab)
It does not feel as if the pandemic will be over any time soon;
we have only got to omicron so far, not omega. May I urge the
Secretary of State to look at two things? The first is the
deliberate campaign of disinformation that is going on around the
country. Some of these people are dangerous—their views are
certainly dangerous. I hope that the Secretary of State will work
with the Home Secretary to make sure that we check on all these
campaigns about “new Nuremberg laws” and that nobody does damage
to people working in the health service.
Secondly, will the Secretary of State tackle the problem of
profiteering? Frankly, some companies are now charging completely
disproportionate prices for PCR tests. There should surely be a
fixed price across the whole UK.
The hon. Gentleman makes a very good point about how the danger
of disinformation is costing lives, not just here in the UK, but
across the world. Rightly, we have talked a lot about South
Africa today. He will know that there is very low take-up of
vaccines in South Africa even when they are available; that is
partly due to disinformation campaigns. I assure him that we are
working across Government with the Home Office, the Department
for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and other Departments to
counter such disinformation as best we can.
On PCR tests, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the remarks that I
made a moment ago.
(Vale of Glamorgan) (Con)
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on taking swift and efficient
action in relation to the additional protections that are
necessary, but when he reviews, as more data becomes available,
the wearing of face masks and the additional restrictions that he
has introduced, will he consider real-life scenarios? He has
heard the calls from Opposition Members for mask wearing and
working from home. Is he aware that in Wales those measures have
been in place since the summer, yet infection rates are still
much higher?
My right hon. Friend is right to raise the difference between
Wales and England in the approach taken. I feel—like him, I
think—that we have taken the right approach to face masks. I
welcome his support today.
(Dudley South) (Con)
My right hon. Friend rightly highlights the role of South
Africa’s excellent testing and analysis system in identifying
omicron. It would be perverse if South Africa were treated less
favourably as a result of the resources that it has put into such
analyses. Will he look at neighbouring red list countries that
have much lower testing and analysis levels, to see whether
travel restrictions for some of those countries might be
appropriate to keep people in this country safe?
We will keep that issue under review. My hon. Friend is right to
speak, as hon. Members across the House have done, about the
importance of South Africa’s handling the matter in such a
professional and exemplary way. It might reassure him to know
that in the G7 meeting that I chaired earlier, we agreed
unanimously about that issue and about the importance of
continuing to work with and support South Africa.
(Aberavon) (Lab)
We know that if the Government just sit back and wait for the
development of new vaccines for new variants, we will be left at
the back of the queue, because the industry will always go to the
highest bidder, such as the EU or the US. Back in April, Clive
Dix, the outgoing head of the vaccine taskforce, sent the
Government a specific proposal about setting up a new taskforce
to fast-track the development of new vaccines for new variants.
Yesterday, Mr Dix revealed that the Government completely failed
to respond to his proposal. Can the Secretary of State explain
why the Government have chosen to ignore Mr Dix’s expert
advice?
I do not think it would be correct to say that the Government
have ignored the advice that the hon. Gentleman refers to. I also
think it would be incorrect to say that when it comes to
vaccines, the Government are somehow going to sit back and wait.
I mentioned earlier the huge expansion of the vaccine programme,
on the back of advice from the JCVI, and the fact that the UK
already has the supply to meet it. The reason we have that is
that we have a fantastic vaccine taskforce—better than in any
other country in the world.
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
Most countries in Africa missed the World Health Organisation
target for a mere 10% of their populations to be vaccinated by
the end of last month as they struggled to secure supplies of
vaccine. As the Secretary of State has heard today, no one is
safe until everyone is safe. What more will his Government do,
with international partners, to ramp up the sharing of vaccines
with developing countries to lessen the risk of further variant
emergence, and what support can be given to those countries to
tackle the mistrust of the vaccine among some sections of their
populations?
In the call that I had today with G7 members, we all agreed about
the importance of working with developing countries, looking into
not just how to provide the vaccine but also—I hope the hon. Lady
agrees that this is important—what more can be done, once the
country has the vaccine, to deliver it locally, through local
logistics or through other delivery mechanisms. We will be
working hard to see what more we can do together.
(Harlow) (Con)
I thank my right hon. Friend for what he is doing, but I
understand that children are at very little risk from the new
variant, so can he confirm that schools will not be closed any
earlier than the run-up to the Christmas holidays? May I also ask
him about the mask policy? Given that masks are not required in
offices, can he explain the scientific evidence on which the
decision to ask students to wear them in corridors was based?
The risk to children from covid in general is, thankfully, much
less than the risk to adults, but we do not know enough about the
new variant to talk specifically about its potential impact on
children. There are no plans of which I am aware that would
require us to close schools early, and I think that that would be
very detrimental to children’s education. As for the rules on
masks, my right hon. Friend will know that the rules set out
today by the Department for Education are guidance for schools in
relation to communal areas, and the DOE will be able to give him
more evidence and information.
(Birkenhead) (Lab)
If we are to win the fight against the omicron variant, it is
essential that people comply with public health guidance, but
with the UK’s statutory sick pay ranking among the lowest in
Europe, far too many people in this country simply cannot afford
to self-isolate. Will the Secretary of State commit himself to
working with colleagues in the Cabinet to raise the rate of sick
pay to at least the equivalent of a week’s living wage, so that
no one is forced to choose between doing the right thing and
heating their home this Christmas?
The hon. Gentleman will know that we have kept rules in place
that will allow people to claim sick pay from day one. As for the
question of whether further support is needed, we keep that under
review and provide further support if it is necessary.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
I thank my right hon. Friend for the work that he has been doing
and the speed with which he has been doing it. Can he confirm to
my constituents that as soon as more is known about the new
variant and if it is deemed to be less of a threat than first
thought—as is starting to emerge from the evidence in South
Africa and the people who first identified it—he will act swiftly
to remove restrictions, particularly the one on self-isolation,
regardless of vaccine status, especially in the run-up to
Christmas?
Yes, I can give my hon. Friend that assurance.
(Kingston upon Hull North)
(Lab)
Will the Secretary of State give us his opinion on whether every
Member in the Chamber should be wearing a mask?
All Members know what the guidance is, and it is a decision for
them.
(Bracknell) (Con)
Like many other Members, I welcome today’s statement, and I agree
that further measures and restrictions would only be a necessary
evil. Will the Secretary of State acknowledge the many millions
of people and businesses throughout the UK who are clawing back
jobs, livelihoods and freedoms after a difficult two years, and
does he agree that these further restrictions should only be an
absolute last resort?
I do agree with my hon. Friend. We all know from our experience
of the pandemic thus far that while many of the restrictions may
well be necessary to fight covid, they have other impacts,
especially on the economy, on people’s life chances and on
children’s education and social lives. I am very much aware of
the impact that they have had on non-covid outcomes, so I very
much agree with my hon. Friend.
(Reading East) (Lab)
I welcome the Government’s plans to extend the vaccination
programme. However, with our NHS under severe pressure after two
very difficult years, what extra resources is he willing to put
forward to support our frontline NHS, particularly our GPs and
our A&E and ambulance services?
This year alone, we have provided an additional £34 billion of
support to the NHS and the social care system. All the extra
funding is in place in each of the areas that the hon. Gentleman
has just mentioned—whether it is the winter access fund for GPs
or the support for the ambulance trusts, which I think have had
more than £55 million for the winter pressures—and it is making a
real difference.
(Loughborough) (Con)
Having received my booster vaccination yesterday, I would like to
thank the Leicestershire and Rutland vaccination service, and
particularly Rachel and Abbie, for their excellent work. Does my
right hon. Friend agree that it is vital that constituents take
up their vaccinations, including their booster, to help us all
through the winter period?
Yes, I do. The vaccines remain our primary line of defence and I
congratulate my hon. Friend on getting her booster shot
yesterday. I wholeheartedly agree that everyone who is eligible
should come forward, to protect themselves and their loved
ones.
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
Without in-country manufacturing of the vaccine in the global
south, we will never get the protection that we need against this
pandemic, and no matter how many donations the Government make,
supplies will never meet the demand. Will the Secretary of State
therefore look again at the issue of in-country manufacturing,
whether that involves release of the patent or other mechanisms,
so that we can see a proper scaling up of the delivery of the
vaccine in the global south?
The hon. Lady is right to talk about the importance of in-country
manufacturing in the developing world. She will know that India,
for example, is one of the largest manufacturers of vaccines,
including the covid-19 vaccine, but she rightly points out that
this capacity needs to grow and become available in other
countries, and it is right to look to see how we can support
that.
(Sevenoaks) (Con)
I welcome the acceleration of the booster programme, but may I
ask the Secretary of State to do all he can accelerate the
approval by the JCVI of the vaccine for the under-12s,
particularly those who are clinically extremely vulnerable? I
have a constituent who is seven and who is desperate to go to
school without fear, and all his parents want is to be able to
give him the jab.
My hon. Friend is right to raise that, and I hope she will agree
that the JCVI has acted very quickly since the emergence of this
new variant. If there are other things that can be taken forward
to help to vaccinate the population, we will certainly be looking
at that with great interest.
(Birmingham, Selly Oak)
(Lab)
I think that the Secretary of State briefly mentioned hotel
bookings in answer to an earlier question. He will be aware that
over the weekend there have been reports of a shortage of
quarantine hotel spaces. How will he ensure that this does not
undermine his reasonable attempts at a rapid response to the new
variant, and where can someone currently find reliable
information about the capacity and availability of such
accommodation?
The Department already had contingency plans in place for
countries being rapidly added to the red list. I believe that
more than 600 rooms were made available on Sunday morning, and
that will rapidly increase during the next few days. I think it
has already increased since then. I believe that most of the
information is available on the Government website.
(Runnymede and Weybridge)
(Con)
I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement. Clearly the
problem here is uncertainty. I welcome the analysis, along with
the three-week review and the ambition to do it sooner, but
following on from the question from my hon. Friend the Member for
North West Leicestershire (), does he agree that if the
review takes place after the House has risen, we should be
recalled to debate its findings?
That is a decision we will have to make closer to the time.
(Blaydon) (Lab)
Shop workers and transport workers will bear the brunt of asking
people to comply with these new restrictions. What measures do
the Government propose to ensure those workers get the protection
they deserve?
These new rules on face coverings will be enforceable by law, and
the police and other law enforcement authorities will be able to
issue penalty notices—I think the penalty starts at £200. That
should be a last resort but, if necessary, it should be
enforced.
(North Devon) (Con)
My North Devon constituents are keen to get boosted, with a big
queue last night at the Barnstaple leisure centre vaccination
drop-in. Although I am delighted that the booster programme is
being extended, will my right hon. Friend please reassure me that
more help will be given to rural constituencies like mine where
residents are struggling to get local appointments, despite the
hard work of the clinical commissioning group and vaccination
team?
I am pleased to hear my hon. Friend’s constituents are so keen,
and I assure her of that support, especially as we expand the
booster programme on the back of the latest JCVI advice.
(Rochdale) (Lab)
The Secretary of State will know very well that the omicron
variant has alarmed people who are immunocompromised,
particularly those who are uncertain about whether their third
jab was a booster or a specific jab for immunocompromised people.
There are also people in anomalous positions with respect to the
vaccination programme. As Members of Parliament, how can we get
fast-track information from the Department about what is right
for individual anomalous constituents?
Most people in that situation will be contacted either by letter
or directly by their GP, but I understand the importance of the
question. The hon. Gentleman may have heard earlier that one
piece of advice from the JCVI that I have accepted is that the
severely immunocompromised who have received three doses as part
of their primary course will now be offered a booster dose—a
fourth dose—so long as there has been a three-month gap since
their third dose. In many cases, if an individual is unsure, the
best place for advice is their GP. If the hon. Gentleman would
find it helpful to meet the vaccine Minister to get more
information, I can set that up.
(Elmet and Rothwell)
(Con)
I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement. He mentioned
reviewing the evidence as quickly as possible. Will that include
evidence from countries that had the variant before it got
here?
Many health academics have said that the virulence of flu is
growing with social distancing, the wearing of masks and so on,
and that our immunity is not what it was because we are not
mixing. With attention rightly being given to covid, are we
looking at other viruses such as flu? What plans will be put in
place if a very virulent strain takes hold?
Work is being done on this variant not just in the UK but by our
friends across the world. At the G7 meeting I attended earlier
today, we all agreed to co-operate and share whatever information
we get. My right hon. Friend is right to mention the importance
of the flu vaccine, and I am glad he has reminded the House that,
although we have understandably been talking about the importance
of the covid vaccine, and of the booster vaccine in particular,
the flu vaccine remains vitally important this winter. That is
one reason why we have the largest flu vaccination programme this
country has ever seen.
(Jarrow) (Lab)
I am pleased to hear there are no plans to close schools, but
what assessment have the Government made of the potential for new
self-isolation requirements that could keep children out of
school? What steps will be taken to mitigate time out of
education, because our children and young people cannot afford to
spend any more time away from their educational settings?
We will keep the new self-isolation requirements under review. At
this point in time, I think very few children will be affected
because, as the hon. Lady knows, the new requirements apply only
to close contacts of those who have tested positive with a
suspected case of the new variant. We will keep it under review,
and the education of children will always be a huge priority.
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