Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on whether Public Health England was informed by Nike that it was (a) closing and (b) disinfecting its stores in Edinburgh as a result of a suspected outbreak of covid-19 at the Nike international conference on 26 and 27 February 2020.

Public Health England (PHE) was alerted to a case associated with the Nike Conference in Edinburgh on 2 March 2020. Around 50 individuals who attended this conference lived in England and were identified. PHE followed up these individuals. They were sent text messages informing them of the exposure and asking them to self-isolate for 14 days and contact 111 if they develop symptoms.

PHE did not have direct contact with conference organisers in Edinburgh or Nike in Edinburgh. Health Protection Scotland had direct contact with the conference organisers as the lead organisation in the incident response.