The New Powers in Context

The proposed new powers to detain people suspected of having Covid-19 in the UK’s Coronavirus Bill have been called unprecedented, but in fact that is not quite true. Since long before the current crisis there have been statutory powers[1] to protect public health, including for ministers to make various regulations[2], and for magistrates to make various orders on the application of local authorities, including to keep people in quarantine in some circumstances[3].