The Coronavirus Act 2020 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that grants the government emergency powers to handle the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The Act allows the government the discretionary power to limit or suspend public gatherings, to detain individuals suspected to be infected by COVID-19, and to intervene or relax regulations in a range of sectors to limit transmission of the disease, ease the burden on public health services, and assist healthcare workers and the economically affected. Areas covered by the Act include the National Health Service, social care, schools, police, Border Force, local councils, funerals and courts.