The applicants' names were included in the minutes of meetings of the UK Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Cell that considered measures required to prevent the spread of Covid-19 within healthcare settings.

Baroness Hallett said: ‘I consider that any subjective risk is outweighed by the public interest in examining and assessing the work of the UK IPC Cell and its respective contributors and I consider the publication of their identity is necessary in the public interest.'

The applicants had presented evidence they could be the subject of risk or harm should their identities be published citing the ‘heated and aggressive' public discourse on the guidance produced by the UK IPC Cell.

They provided an example of a post on X (formerly Twitter) which referred specifically to the IPC cell and others and accused them of having ‘blood on their hands' and also referred to the death threats made against Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam.

The Guardian led a submission by eight media organisations arguing that the applicants were unlikely to come to harm adding that there was a public interest in knowing who was involved in the decision-making process regarding the management of the risks of Covid.

A UKHSA spokesperson said: 'UKHSA is committed to full transparency in the UK COVID-19 Inquiry. As well as submitting thousands of pieces of evidence for the inquiry's examinations, the agency must also support the wellbeing of our staff who played a crucial role throughout the pandemic.'