The health secretary Sajid Javid has extended a temporary suspension on patients signing prescriptions, dental and ophthalmic forms until August 31.

The measure, which the Department of Health and Social Care said is designed to stop the transmission of Covid, was brought into effect last year.

The DHSC stressed that patients will still have to pay the fee or show they are eligible for an exemption from the charges. Whoever dispenses the prescription or provides the forms will need to mark them to highlight a patient’s exemption.

“Additionally, where patients would otherwise be required to sign the dental and ophthalmic forms, contractors will annotate the form with ‘Covid-19’ instead,” the DHSC said.