Distinguishing Law from Government Guidance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Description of impact

Citation of research within the Report of the Independent Commission on the Use of Public Health Emergency Powers, May 2024

Narrative

Research conducted by Simon Halliday with colleagues at the University of York (Jed Meers and Joe Tomlinson) has been cited with approval by the Independent Commission on the Use of Public Health Emergency Powers, which reported in May 2024. The reports states, 'governments should consider as an integral part of policy planning which public health interventions should be given a legal basis, which should only take the form of public health advice, and how that distinction can best be communicated. We agree with Professor Tomlinson, Professor Halliday and Dr Meers, who, in their written evidence, recommended these matters “ought to be seen as an essential component of the design and implementation of the policy intervention"'. This lead to one of the Commission's recommendations: "Recommendation 29: Governments should consider as an integral part of policy planning which public health interventions should be given a legal basis, which should only take the form of public health advice, and how that distinction can best be communicated."

Impact status	Closed
Impact date	15 May 2024
Category of impact	Policy and legislation
Impact level	Engagement