Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to current strains of covid-19, what recent public health advice he has issued to (a) clinically extremely vulnerable and (b) clinically vulnerable individuals on those strains.

Due to the success of the COVID-19 vaccines most people who were part of the ‘Clinically extremely vulnerable’ (CEV) cohort are no longer at substantially greater risk than the general population and are advised to follow the same guidance as everyone else on staying safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, as well as any further advice received from their healthcare professional. The term ‘Clinically extremely vulnerable’ is therefore no longer used.

However, there remains a smaller number of people whose weakened immune system means they may be at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, despite vaccination. The welfare of this group of patients remains a priority and are offered enhanced protections including COVID-19 treatments, booster vaccinations, free lateral flow tests and tailored guidance.

In England, over 1.8 million people are eligible for COVID-19 treatments. The Government regularly reviews the guidance available to this group of individuals which was last updated on the 30 January 2023. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to have in place surveillance arrangements that enable the monitoring of any emerging variants and to assess their potential impact, including in relation to severe outcomes. This information is shared between UKHSA, the Department and NHS England.