Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the level of covid-19 transmission in venues that have introduced requirements for proof of vaccination and testing in the context of the outbreak of that virus at York Racecourse.

The level of COVID-19 transmission in venues which have introduced requirements for proof of vaccination and testing were assessed through the government’s Events Research Programme (ERP). The ERP considered transmission risk across a range of social, cultural and sporting venues and the findings are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/events-research-programme-phase-ii-and-iii-findings

The ERP studies demonstrate that environmental and behavioural risk factors associated with COVID-19 transmission at events are complex and contextual. Individual risk while attending an event is dependent on social interactions, on the interaction with the environment and on the individual journey through an event. The mitigation measures put in place for such venues, such as voluntary certification, have to consider and be informed by the local context and risk assessments.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to investigate outbreaks of infectious disease, including COVID-19 as and when they occur. Local outbreaks are managed by the UKHSA’s regional health protection teams in collaboration with local authority partners. The UKHSA has not made a specific assessment at York Racecourse, as local businesses are advised to do their own risk assessment.