Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their guidelines on personal protective equipment for frontline medical staff are (1) based on expert medical advice and evidence or (2) also based on economic or other factors.

The guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by health and social care workers is based on expert reviews and advice from the Department’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) as well as literature reviews by Health Protection Scotland. The guidance is updated regularly, in line with emerging evidence.

Public Health England has not undertaken an economic assessment of the PPE guidance.