Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of threat from the Omicron variant of covid-19 for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable; and what plans his Department has to issue updated guidance specifically for that group following that assessment.

The shielding programme ended 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. Updated public health advice was issued on 24 December 2021 for people previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable, which is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19 is also 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

NHS England and NHS Improvement have written to general practices and hospital trusts in England to raise awareness of this new guidance. We will continue to assess the situation and the risks posed by COVID-19.