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Government Response from Minister Ashley Dalton MP – Lack of Preventative Action
Following SHH-UK’s letter urging the Government to prioritise prevention of initial Covid-19 infections and reinfections to reduce cases of Long Covid, Ashley Dalton MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Public Health and Prevention, responded without outlining any new or substantive preventative measures.
Key Points from Her Response:
| The Minister expressed thanks for SHH-UK’s work and acknowledged the scale and impact of Long Covid. |
| She focused primarily on treatment, research funding, and existing clinical services for people already affected. |
| While briefly stating that “preventing Long Covid requires prevention of initial infection and reinfection”, she did not commit to any concrete actions to reduce airborne transmission. |
| No reference was made to: – Improving indoor air quality or ventilation standards – Providing FFP2/3 masks for healthcare workers – Setting national targets to reduce reinfection – Updating infection prevention and control guidance to reflect airborne transmission |
| The response positions responsibility with healthcare providers and existing codes of practice, instead of acknowledging the need for government-led prevention policy. |
| The Minister declined a meeting with SHH-UK due to diary pressures. |
Why This Matters
This response highlights a significant gap between acknowledgement of the problem and action on prevention. Without government-led initiatives to reduce transmission, infections will continue, leading to increasing levels of Long Covid, workforce loss, and health system strain.
SHH-UK maintains that prevention must be central to public health strategy – not only treatment after harm has occurred. We will continue lobbying for clear government action on clean air, protective equipment, and updated infection control standards.
Ashley Dalton’s full response can be seen below.
