Covid-19 Update

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Asked about timelines of identifying new variants, hotel quarantine arrangements, rolling out testing across neighbouring postcodes, hesitancy towards vaccines among care staff and teachers awaiting vaccination after Easter. Also raised concerns about school closures affecting children's education and mental health.

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Ashworth questioned the Secretary of State about the timelines and processes related to identifying South African variant cases. He also inquired about delays in hotel quarantine arrangements, requested SAGE minutes publication, suggested expanding testing in neighbouring postcodes, emphasised the need for better support during isolation periods, discussed vaccine hesitancy, and raised issues regarding children’s health during school closures.

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Hunt asked to crown 2021 as a significant year for the social care sector, akin to the founding of the NHS in 1948, with commitments on long-term financial settlement and implementation of Dilnot.

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Asked about the Government's response to the South African variant, expressing concern over internal travel restrictions and genomic testing, and questioned why mandatory quarantine was not enforced despite SAGE advice.

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Expressed gratitude for vaccine work, asked about prioritisation of adults with learning disabilities in vaccination programmes.

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Challenged the Government's response to new variants, stating it was too little and too late.

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Complimented Health Secretary on vaccine roll-out decisions and mentioned NHS Northamptonshire's success.

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Asked if the Secretary regrets not pursuing a zero-covid strategy and questioned the Government's approach.

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Paid tribute to NHS staff and volunteers for progress in north Wales on vaccine roll-out.

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Asked about lessons from failures and successes, test and trace system improvements, and support for those not entitled to sick pay.

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Expressed support for the Secretary's approach to vaccine roll-out and its impact on society release.

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With the Prince’s Trust reporting a record high of more than half of young people often feeling anxious, and some A&Es reporting daily seeing children coming in after self-harming or overdosing, it is clear that the pandemic is taking an enormous toll on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing due to school closures, family pressures, social isolation, and bereavement. Will the Secretary of State commit today, in children’s mental health week, urgently to form a cross-departmental plan for tackling the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of children and young people?

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May I add my congratulations to those who have been rolling out the vaccine?... Given that the vaccine roll-out is going so well and is, I suspect, ahead of where the Secretary of State thought it would be, will he confirm that when schools start going back on 8 March, it will be those two metrics falling—deaths and hospitalisations—that will guide the reopening of not just schools but the rest of the economy?

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I thank the Secretary of State for his and his Department’s wisdom and forethought in securing the vaccine for all of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland—better together; I always say that, and it is the truth. What discussions has his Department had with the Treasury to secure additional financial support to enable each devolved Administration to carry out similar schemes if the need arises in every part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

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I thank my right hon. Friend for repeating his commitment to ensuring that schools can reopen as soon as it is safe to do so... Will he reiterate the huge importance of putting children’s mental health and wellbeing alongside the other onerous responsibilities that he bears?

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Will the Secretary of State update the House on any conversations he may have had with the pharmaceutical companies about the need to modify the vaccine in the light of the new variants?

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There have been scare stories in Lancashire about vaccines being diverted to elsewhere in the country, causing a shortage and perpetuating further urban myths... Will the Secretary of State assure me and the House that my constituents will be covered, that vaccines are not being redirected to other regions of the UK, and that Lancashire will continue to receive the required proportions in the future?

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I add my congratulations to the workers in the NHS who are delivering the roll-out of the vaccine... Does the Secretary of State agree that we should plan to vaccinate school staff if at all possible before half-term, if not during it?

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Further to the Prime Minister’s suggestion yesterday in Batley that we may not see a return to different regional tier restrictions due to the virus’s behaviour, how will the Government avoid unfairly disadvantaging areas with low covid rates? Or does the fantastic vaccination programme roll-out mean that the whole country can now make steady progress out of lockdown together?

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The Secretary of State will know that I have written to him several times recently on the subject of the gut microbiome, which the immune system heavily depends on, and its impact on covid-19... Will he meet me to discuss the emerging research, including on the use of prebiotics and probiotics, and positive mitigation of the impact of the worst effects of covid-19, helping people to suffer less and saving the NHS money?

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The development, production and roll-out of vaccines in Britain is increasingly envied across the world, and the Wockhardt factory in north Wales is playing its part in that process. What plans does my right hon. Friend have to increase the production of vaccines in the UK further, both to meet our own needs and to allow us to assist our friends in the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere?

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Dr Wendy Jones, who operates the drugs in breastmilk helpline, is continuing to get queries from people who have been told that they cannot get the vaccination if they are breastfeeding. Could I ask the Secretary of State to make it absolutely crystal clear that there is not a contraindication and that those who are breastfeeding should get the covid vaccination?

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A huge debt of gratitude is owed to all those involved in our incredible, world-leading vaccination programme, including Teesside’s hospital, our primary care network and the Fairfield pharmacy. Can my right hon. Friend confirm when Teesside will benefit from a mass vaccination site so that we can get more jabs into the arms of Teessiders as soon as possible?

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May I join the Secretary of State in congratulating those in my constituency who have worked so hard on rolling out the vaccine? At the moment, people are given roughly a week’s notice of the quantity and type of vaccine that they will receive. Can flexibility be built in for the second round to ensure proper delivery?

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More than 400 people were vaccinated at the new pharmacy-led vaccination centre at Honley village hall yesterday. The new vaccination centre at John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield is also open, as Yorkshire continues to lead the way with the vaccine roll-out. Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking our NHS and wonderful community volunteers for this great national effort?

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In answer to my written question to the Home Office, I was informed that Border Force does not hold records of the number of staff who have tested positive for covid-19 in the past 12 months. What conversations is the Secretary of State having with his Cabinet colleagues and Government agencies to ensure the safety of essential civil servants?

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The vaccination programme is working at a fantastic pace in my care homes and across the constituency. I come also with thanks to my right hon. Friend. Now, however, I am being flooded by messages from parents, grandparents and teachers who want no further delays to school openings; any assurances would be welcome.

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Why does it not make sense for teachers and other essential frontline workers to be vaccinated before perfectly fit and healthy people—in their 60s—like us?

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Our world-leading vaccines programme will mean that deaths and hospitalisations for serious ill health will fall massively—probably to normal levels by around 8 March. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that schools will be the first to reopen on or before 8 March?

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The Health Minister in Wales has now admitted that many lives could have been saved had the Welsh Labour Government locked down sooner last year. Does the Secretary of State believe that an earlier general lockdown in England would have saved many lives? If so, how does that belief inform the quarantine and lockdown decisions his Government now face?

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I congratulate my right hon. Friend on doing such a phenomenal job in rolling out the life-saving vaccine throughout the country. We have both the means and desire to help others who do not have advanced public health infrastructure systems as ours. Will my right hon. Friend work with the Secretary of State for Defence and Foreign Secretary to allocate overseas funds to create an international vaccination taskforce, utilising military assets such as RFA Argus to assist practically with the international roll-out of vaccines?

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One year after the UK’s first covid patient arrived at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, I know the Secretary of State will want to join me in congratulating Newcastle’s NHS staff, GPs, public health professionals, volunteers and all those leading the way in vaccinating so many, so quickly. Will he agree to reward such success by handing more resources and control over the failing test and trace programme to local public health teams?

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What message could my right hon Friend give to the people of Dewsbury, Mirfield, Kirkburton and Denby Dale who may be thinking twice about having an inoculation when given the opportunity?

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What variant did he refer to in relation to a number of cases in Liverpool? Will he push his Cabinet colleagues to plug gaps in financial support so that everybody can play their part and stay at home?

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Yesterday I spoke with Mrs Bunny England, who is housebound and no one has contacted her about vaccination. Can he ensure that we will be able to get to every single person in groups 1 to 4 who is housebound by 15 February?

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Last week I visited new pharmacy-led vaccination centres in my constituency. They are struggling with confusion caused by two online booking systems, seeing patients sent to distant centres and unable to get appointments as the national booking system is not updated. Will he look into these issues urgently?

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Sussex reached twin milestones of vaccinating 85% of its over-80s and every care home bar the small number with recent outbreaks. Will he join me in thanking Siobhan Melia, Adam Doyle and their teams in NHS Sussex, and all GPs and volunteers in Arundel and South Downs?

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Before we get too euphoric, can he remind him that 406 people died yesterday of covid and that 70 people have died in Huddersfield hospitals since 1 January? The fight is still on, but will he please stop the Prime Minister breaking all the rules?

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Among the half a million vaccinations provided across the country last Saturday were 750 at Locke House in Rugby, where more than 11,000 have already been given and priority groups 1 to 4 will be completed ahead of schedule. Will he thank everyone involved, particularly volunteers? Could he say a little more about ensuring that second doses match the first?

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According to the Global Institute, high-income countries representing 16% of the world’s population currently have about 60% of the vaccines purchased so far. So can the Secretary of State tell us what plans the Government have to start sharing supplies with low-income and middle-income countries? Can he share with us the Government’s plans on an international approach?

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The variant of covid that was first identified from South African samples has been found within the PR9 postcode. That postcode covers the town of Banks, which is within South Ribble in Lancashire. There is understandable concern among residents and a celebratable desire to do the right thing. Can my right hon. Friend offer any reassurance to the residents so close to Southport, and set out what they can do with testing, for example, to do the right thing in this situation?

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The Health Secretary rightly said that our mission should be to stop the South African variant spreading. The community spread shows that border measures are failing to do that. He has set out no timetable for quarantine hotels today and, seven weeks after the variant was identified, it is still possible for people to travel home from South Africa and elsewhere, with no quarantine hotels, no quarantine taxis and no test on arrival, and go straight on to public transport in the UK. Why is that still allowed and how long is he going to allow it?

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The roll-out of vaccines in north and north-east Lincolnshire is going extremely well and I am sure that my right hon. Friend will want to join me in congratulating all those involved on their magnificent efforts. To follow on from questions about the housebound, yesterday I was contacted by the family of an elderly gentleman who lives alone in a rural part of my constituency, who received an invitation for a vaccination at a centre considerably far from his home, and he wanted it locally. I appreciate that there is a follow-up, but the initial letter can cause confusion for people. Will my right hon. Friend do all he can to assure me that the follow-up letter inviting people for a local vaccination comes swiftly after that first letter?

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I welcome the commitment from the Secretary of State to lean in, I think he said, to the international effort to roll-out vaccines everywhere across the world. No one is safe until we are all safe, anywhere, not least because if we do not do this in tandem, it increases the chances of variants coming here that would undermine our own impressive efforts. When does the Government plan to start parallel distribution of the vaccine, particularly to low-income countries, some of which have had no vaccines at all? Should it not be as soon as we have completed the vaccination of our clinically most vulnerable?

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It has been a privilege to be one of the volunteers at my local vaccination centre in Builth Wells and I commend Powys Teaching Health Board and all the vaccination staff for their efforts. Residents in Ystradgynlais, the largest town in my constituency, currently have to travel more than 50 miles to get their jabs. As a result, the local GP is working almost around the clock to ensure that people who cannot travel can get their vaccine. As well as thanking everyone involved in delivering the vaccine in Brecon and Radnorshire, will my right hon. Friend confirm that the roll-out is an agile system and that the Government will not allow the challenge of rural areas to impede our progress?

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A new research paper published today by Newcastle University demonstrates the link between poor mental health and welfare support, and this pandemic has particularly tested the mental health of so many of us. Will the Secretary of State urge the Chancellor of the Exchequer to keep the £20 universal credit top-up after March and to extend it to those on legacy benefits so that the mental health of those on benefits is not even more affected?

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The roll-out of the vaccine across my borough of Bexley has been very successful to date, and I congratulate all involved. Will my right hon. Friend note that NHS information and co-operation across our area of south-east London has been absolutely superb? Will he confirm, though, that the second doses of the vaccine will be delivered on time, including to the housebound?

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The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation states that the implementation of the vaccine should also involve flexibility in vaccine deployment at a local level, with due attention to, among other things, mitigating health inequalities. Will the Health Secretary outline whether his Department believes that homeless people who have complex health conditions because of their accommodation status should be prioritised for vaccination?

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I very much associate myself with my right hon. Friend’s remarks about the noble Lord Fowler, who of course was in charge of the combined Department of Health and Social Security. While I applaud the Government’s very wise decision not to sign up to the EU vaccination procurement programme, when I visit Highlands vaccination centre tomorrow, will I be able to reassure my constituents that they will still receive their second doses of vaccine on time now that we have left the European Union?

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We know that there is a reduced antibody response against the new covid variants for vaccinated blood, but what is the level of change in vaccine efficacy, and what action is under way to update and approve new vaccines to address this? I am particularly thinking of the E484K mutation found in both the Brazilian and South African variants.

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I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his decisions of last year to guarantee the surplus supplies of vaccine, and I thank all the NHS staff and volunteers in Wimbledon who are delivering it. Clearly, getting the vaccine rolled out as fast as possible is key. Therefore, can he confirm that he will make sure that best practice advice is being given to every vaccine centre to ensure that there are no supplies unused at the end of the day and that there is a reserve list for appointments?