Public Accountability Unit Tel: 020 8327 6920 Wellington House 133-155 Waterloo Road www.gov.uk/phe London SE1 8UG

By email [email protected]

Our ref: 05/08/cs/954

3 September 2020 Dear Michael John

Re: Requesting recorded information and evidence of the actual virus [related to case ref 835]

Thank you for your request received on 5 August 2020 addressed to Public Health England (PHE). In accordance with Section 1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) I can confirm that PHE partly holds the information you have specified.

Request

This was not a request for any persons personal Data, as most are aware of the GDPR and the data protection act ,,, the request was for the recorded information such as if there is a confirmed case at child’s school then please provide the Data minus personal Details Such as;

Provide video-graphic or photo-graphic evidence of the actual virus including the identity of the photographer, scientists involved and the equipment used to take the photograph (or video) including calibration data of the equipment, source of funding and location of laboratory,

Scientifically verifiable evidence that this virus is contagious.

Evidence of the origin of the virus, including time, date and location.

Evidence that any one person may be a risk to the public safety or the health and well-being of anyone.

Response

In your previous request you asked for:

For all recorded information held by Public Health England (PHE)in relation to a confirmed case of covid-19 at Melbourn Village College ( MVC) Melbourn Cambridgeshire, SG8 6EF.

We advised that we were unable to release the information to you. As with all health data we do not release details if the information could be attributable to an individual or inviduals in order to protect their privacy. The information you have requested could lead to deductive disclosure of personal details and is therefore exempt under section 40 of the Act.

General information about cases and testing can be found on the government dashboard at the following link: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

Information, resources and guidance relating to the evaluation of COVID-19 tests can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/collections/covid-19-phe-assessment-of- laboratory-tests-and-assays.

With regard to your other questions about evidence of the virus being contagious and photographic evidence. Research and information can be found on the World Health Organisation website: www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus- 2019/global-research-on-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

If you have any queries regarding the information that has been supplied to you, please refer your query in writing in the first instance. If you remain dissatisfied and would like to request an internal review, then please contact us at the address above or by emailing [email protected]

Please note that you have the right to an independent review by the Information Commissioner’s Office if a complaint cannot be resolved through the PHE complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner’s Office can be contacted by writing to Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely Freedom of Information team