Dear Department of Health and Social Care,

Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to know what the current accurate statistics are for Covid infections in England and Wales for the period from January 2024 to date (end of July 2024). Specifically, number of positive tests, number of tests taken, number of hospital admissions and number of deaths.

In addition I would like to know why the government has ceased routine testing and recommended use of PPE - despite clear evidence of a new wave of Covid infections that has swept the country in the last weeks and months - and whether, like the USA, it will consider re-recommending such practice particularly in the NHS, but also for the public in general, and issuing warnings of new variants and increased outbreaks, along with regular publicly available statistics - or will the government seek to continue with the fiction that Covid/the pandemic is ‘over’.

For those of us with health vulnerabilities, disabilities and other reasons why Covid remains a significant threat, can we expect the new government to take account of our plight, our 4 years so far of shielding, social distancing and in effect continuing lockdown, and start taking more realistic, protective, monitoring and advisory measures to support us better? In particular, to continue testing for hospital admissions, keeping covid patients separate from surgical and other seriously ill patients in hospitals, and routine use of PPE for patient-facing activity. I would add that the PPE thus far used in the NHS has mostly been substandard (not P2 never mind P3 standard) as has been the guidance in wearing it and on maintaining barriers and other measures to prevent spread of infection. Many people are desperate to attend clinics or dentists or similar and still unable to do so safely.

I would very much like to hear what the current government’s strategy for managing the ongoing Covid situation will be.

With many thanks

Yours faithfully,
R J Bista