Covid-19 Update

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:43 pm on 6 July 2021.

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Photo of Sajid Javid Sajid Javid Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 12:43, 6 July 2021

The hon. Gentleman is right to point out that there is no risk-free way forward. For the whole world, this pandemic is unprecedented, and leaders across the world are having to balance risks and take the approach that they think is right. He is also right to raise the challenges created by the pandemic and our response to it that are not directly linked to covid itself, such as the increase in mental health issues we have seen across the nation, including in Northern Ireland. We have provided much more funding for mental health, but we need a long-term, sustainable plan to deal with mental health challenges, which have, sadly, increased.