4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation Implemented 4.2 The department is confident that it has secured enough supply for this (2020-21) winter period and that it has processes and logistics in place to distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to where it is needed. The government has now strengthened and diversified supply chains of PPE – looking to new suppliers abroad as well as boosting domestic manufacturing capability. Over 32 billion items of PPE have been ordered, and we are building stockpiles equivalent to approximately four months PPE modelled requirement at projected COVID-19 levels, which will be in place by November. The department has established a distribution system which ensures PPE can readily be accessed by those who need it, including expanding the PPE portal to ensure supply for social and primary care providers, free of charge. The department has moved from an emergency situation a few months earlier in 2020 to a stable situation which allows it to prepare with resilience for possible further any second spike or new wave. Details are contained in the PPE Strategy. Given the continuing global pandemic, there may be further supply-side shocks globally; if such issues arise the department will work through the established systems to address them. 4.3 The ability to test and trace for COVID-19 is critical to ending transmission in the community. The department will continue to grow capacity and resilience, including being prepared for winter when demand for testing is likely to increase. The department has greatly increased UK daily swab test capacity from 2,000 people a day in March 2020 to passing the 500,000 target on 31 October 2020 by increasing capacity within existing labs, opening and partnering with new labs, bringing in hundreds of additional staff for the labs, and introducing cutting-edge testing techniques and technologies which will both decrease turnaround times and further boost capacity.