The Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (c. 22) is a piece of legislation for England and Wales which requires physicians to notify the 'proper officer' of the local authority of any person deemed to be suffering from a
notifiable disease
A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. In the case of lives ...
.
[Stephen Monaghan (2002)]
The State of Communicable Disease Law
London: The Nuffield Trust. It also provides powers to
isolate infected individuals to prevent the spread of such a disease. The act forms the basis of various
legislation
Legislation is the process or result of enrolling, enacting, or promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred ...
connected to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confirm ...
.
History
The Act, originally enacted to address public health concerns, has been a critical tool in managing infectious diseases such as tuberculosis in the UK. Over the years, it has undergone several amendments to adapt to evolving public health needs and legal standards. One of the key provisions of the Act allows for the detention of individuals with tuberculosis to prevent the spread of the disease, a measure that has sparked significant debate. Critics argue that this provision may infringe on individual rights, particularly in light of the European Convention on Human Rights, which the UK joined in 2000. Despite these concerns, the Act has played a vital role in controlling outbreaks and protecting public health, though it continues to be scrutinized and discussed in legal and public health circles.
COVID-19 pandemic
This Act was used as the legal basis for the regulations that put into force the
stay at home order
A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order – also referred to by loose use of the terms quarantine, isolation, or lockdown – is an order from a government authority that restricts movements of a population as a mass qu ...
announced by
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He wa ...
on 23 March 2020 in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
,
the
.
350/2020 later gave legal force to some of the 'lockdown' rules that had been announced.
Misinformation
Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information. Misinformation and disinformation are not interchangeable terms: misinformation can exist with or without specific malicious intent, whereas disinformation is distinct in that the information ...
about the Act circulated online during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included claims that it had been amended to mandate
COVID-19 vaccination
A COVID19 vaccine is a vaccine intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID19).
Knowledge about the structure and func ...
; according to
Full Fact
Full Fact is a British charity, based in London, which checks and corrects facts reported in the news as well as claims which circulate on social media.
History and structure
Full Fact was founded in 2009 by businessman Michael Samuel, the ...
, the Act does not provide any power to mandate any treatment or vaccination.
See also
*
Civil Contingencies Act 2004
The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (c. 36) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that makes provision about civil contingencies. It also replaces former civil defence and emergency powers legislation of the 20th century.
Backgrou ...
*
Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1985
The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1985 was a statutory instrument of the United Kingdom which extended certain parts of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 regarding notifiable diseases to AIDS. Therefore although ...
*
Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988
*
Coronavirus Act 2020
The Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that granted the government emergency powers to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. The act allowed the government the discretionary power to limit or suspend public ...
*
British government response to the COVID-19 pandemic
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the Government of the United Kingdom, UK Government introduced various public health and economic measures to mitigate its impact. Devolution in the United Kingdom, Devolution meant ...
*
Biosecurity Act 2015
The ''Biosecurity Act 2015'' is an Act of the Parliament of Australia which manages biosecurity risks in Australia at the national border. It was enacted on 16 June 2015, after the Bill was passed with bipartisan support on 14 May 2015. It co ...
References
External links
*
United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1984
Public health in the United Kingdom
Occupational safety and health law
Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning healthcare
Law associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
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