Freedom of Information Team  
 
Department of Health and Social Care  
 
39 Victoria Street 
 
London 
 
SW1H 0EU  
www.gov.uk/dhsc 
 
 
Ms Anna Frances 
request-739220-
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
 
17 May 2021 
 
Dear Ms Frances, 
 
Freedom of Information Request Reference FOI-1317081 
 
Thank you for your request dated 22 March 2021 in which you asked the Department of Health and 
Social Care (DHSC): 
 
“Please provide me with the recorded information and documentation of the scientific isolation of 
the Covid19 virus.nd all the alleged variants of same.” 
 
Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). 
 
DHSC does not hold the information you requested regarding your enquiry on the isolation of the 
SARS-CoV-2 virus. The scientific basis supporting the Government’s response to the SARS-CoV-2 
virus is available on the GOV.UK website, including information on the identification/isolation of the 
virus and any variants. A link to the website is provided below: 
 
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-
response-to-coronavirus-covid-19 
 
Public Health England (PHE) may hold this data and therefore, you may wish to direct your request 
to PHE. PHE’s Freedom of Information team can be contacted by email at xxx@xxx.xxx.xx. 
 
If you are not satisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to appeal by asking for 
an internal review. This should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter and sent to 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx, or to the address at the top of this letter. 
 
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication. 
 
If you are not content with the outcome of your internal review, you may complain directly to the 
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you 
have already appealed our original response and received our internal review decision. You should 
raise your concerns with the ICO within three months of your last meaningful contact with us. 
 
The ICO can be contacted at:  
   

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The Information Commissioner's Office  
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane  
Wilmslow 
Cheshire  
SK9 5AF  
 
https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Hazel Percy 
Freedom of Information Officer 
E: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx 
 

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