Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the study by Morris and others entitled, The removal of airborne SARS-COV-2 and other microbial bioaerosols on air filtration on COVID-19 surge units, published on 30 October 2021, if he will hold discussions with relevant stakeholders on the finding of that study on the effectiveness of using mechanical ventilation systems or standalone air filtration with ePM1 80 per cent minimum efficiency to remove some 96 per cent of the airborne covid-19 virus within two air changes.

Representatives of NHS Test and Trace and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have held discussions with experts in air purification technologies, including representatives from research prior to commissioning research on environmental technologies. The UKHSA will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders. The outcomes of the study by Morris et al have informed the Addenbrookes Air Disinfection Study, which is currently underway. The study’s main authors are members of the working group established by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to oversee the study.