Yesterday the government published the Coronavirus Bill, emergency legislation to provide the powers needed to respond to the epidemic. The bill aims to achieve the following:

• Increase the number of health and social care workers available 
• Ease the burden on frontline staff, both within the NHS and beyond
• Delay and slow the virus
• Manage the deceased with respect and dignity

The measures outlined in the bill are time limited and there are safeguards in place to ensure that the powers are only used as necessary, for example during the peak of a coronavirus outbreak. Our briefing outlines the key measures in the bill.