Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of NHS staff that are shielding as of 17 January 2022.

We have no plans to do so. The Government ended the Shielding Programme on 15 September 2021. People previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to follow general guidance, while considering extra precautions to reduce their chance of infection.

We issued updated public health advice on 24 December 2021 for those at higher risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19. This is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk