Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the covid-19 mortality rate.

The Government has set out its approach to tackling COVID-19 over the coming months in COVID-19 response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021, published on 14 September, which can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-autumn-and-winter-plan-2021

This set out a five-pronged approach of building our defences through pharmaceutical interventions, such as vaccines and antivirals; identifying and isolating positive cases to limit transmission; supporting the National Health Service and social care; advising people on how to protect themselves and others; and pursuing an international approach through helping to vaccinate the world and managing risks at the borders. The Plan also set out other measures which might be deployed as necessary (“Plan B”), including introducing mandatory vaccine-only COVID-status certification in certain settings and legally mandating face coverings in certain settings. As set out in the Winter and Autumn plan, we have other measures that can be deployed if necessary.

In keeping our policies under review, we take into account a wide range of data and evidence on transmission, hospitalisations and mortality, as well as on the wider impacts of current and potential elements of the response to the pandemic.