Contributions
3,496 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateOf course I am working to exactly that end. If somebody has the symptoms of coronavirus, they should self-isolate even if they cannot get a test. I understand how frustrating that…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateOn the contrary, the military’s support has been absolutely brilliant in expanding the testing system—test and trace—and it is engaged in the development of our vaccine roll-out…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateThere absolutely will be a debate in this House on the measures that we have to use. We have to move very fast, and I am very happy to talk to my hon. Friend about SureScreen in…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateRandox delivers a very significant number of tests every single day—it is a growing number. In fact, it is currently outperforming the allocation that we have asked it to deliver,…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateWe have protected the number of tests in care homes. The challenge is that when the system is running hot and the number of tests going through is very close to capacity, that can…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his constructive approach in these difficult times. He and I agree that the strategy of suppressing the virus while protecting the economy…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateYes, I do. I come to this Dispatch Box as often as possible. I am very sorry that I was unable to come on Friday to discuss Friday’s decision, but the House was not sitting. I…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateVitamin D is one of the many things that we have looked into, to see whether it reduces the incidence or impact of coronavirus. I have seen reports that it does, so we put it into…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateYes, of course. My hon. Friend represents one of the finest hospitals not just in the country but in the world. The clinicians who work at Addenbrooke’s and across the country…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateI do not have those figures, but I would be very happy to look into specific cases, because the speed of turnaround in the instance that the hon. Gentleman describes is very…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateI am afraid I do agree. All councils, including Leeds City Council, should make it clear that if students have coronavirus symptoms—and we all know what they are: a new continuous…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateThe hon. Gentleman and I have occasionally tangled across these Dispatch Boxes, but I wholeheartedly support what he has said and agree with him entirely. It is policy that…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateI agree with that 100%. We put in place support bubbles for single households—those who live alone—during the lockdown precisely for that reason. I remember having a Zoom with a…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateThe hon. Lady asks an important question. We are putting more testing into Liverpool, notwithstanding the challenges in testing capacity, because it is exactly the sort of place…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateOf course we support businesses and others who want to get tests outside the NHS Test and Trace system; last week we published a paper on how they can go about doing that, and we…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateYes. We are moving to a system where the advice is to call 111 First and then go to A&E, or call 999 if it is an emergency and you need an ambulance. That system will not only…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateThe incubation period before which the virus can present itself is still estimated to require 14 days of self-isolation. If we could bring that figure down, I would be the first…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateCare home testing is incredibly important. We have brought down some of the response times, and I am glad to report to the House that since last week, when we debated the very…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateThere is an important balance between the measures we need to take across the country as a whole, and the further and stronger measures in local areas. My right hon. Friend will…21 Sept 2020HANSARD Covid-19 UpdateOf course I would be very happy to work with the hon. Lady on this question. We do have to make sure that our hospitals are covid secure. I would be happy to meet her to discuss…21 Sept 2020