Recommendation 143

Although the communications strategy in the initial phase of the pandemic was broadly successful, it is worth noting that there was some confusion over who the stay at home order applied to, and there was criticism of the Government’s decision not to provide a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter on-set at the televised briefings. Similar briefings in Scotland and Wales did include an interpreter, socially distanced from Ministers. In the UK, there are more than 80,000 Deaf people whose first language is BSL.225 The decision not 219 Oral evidence taken before the Health and Social Care Committee on 21 July 2020, HC (2019–2021) 36, Q585 220 GOV.UK, Health and Social Care Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19), 5 April 2020. 221 Q827 222 Nuffield Trust (CLL0087) 223 Oral evidence taken before the Health and Social Care Committee on 21 July 2020, HC (2019–2021) 36, Q584 224 University College London (CLL0023) 225 Equality and Human Rights Commission, Letter to the Prime Minister, April 2020. Coronavirus: lessons learned to date 55 to include an interpreter at these briefings, where important public health announcements were often made, may have reduced their ability to understand the messages provided and in turn potentially decreased trust and compliance among this group.