COVID 19 – The Coronavirus Act 2020: Powers and Offences


The Coronavirus Act 2020 (‘the Act’) came into force on 25th March 2020. It has been reported in the press as providing the Government with ‘wide-ranging powers unlike any other recent legislation’. Some of these powers are already being utilised by different police forces in differing ways, leading to former Supreme Court Justice, Lord Sumption, to decry the shameful conduct of one force and to warn of ‘a hysterical slide into a police state’. This article provides an overview, within the context of England, of the new powers and offences contained in the Act relating to persons who are ‘potentially infected’ with coronavirus; and events, gatherings and premises.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 (‘the Act’) came into force on 25th March 2020. It has been reported in the press as providing the Government with ‘wide-ranging powers unlike any other recent legislation’. Some of these powers are already being utilised by different police forces in differing ways, leading to former Supreme Court Justice, Lord Sumption, to decry the shameful conduct of one force and to warn of ‘a hysterical slide into a police state’. This article provides an overview, within the context of England, of the new powers and offences contained in the Act relating to persons who are ‘potentially infected’ with coronavirus; and events, gatherings and premises.

The article is written by Richard Elliott and Simon Davis (pupil barrister)

Read the full article:

https://www.3tg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/coronavirus_act_2020_powers_offences.pdfCOVID 19 – The Coronavirus Act 2020: Powers and Offences [Adobe PDF]

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