Earlier this week, the health secretary Sajid Javid said in a Downing Street press conference that the government was not yet ready or willing to activate its Covid ‘Plan B’. His announcement came after the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) argued last week that Plan B measures – such as mandatory masks, working from home and vaccine passports – should be prepared for now to reduce the need for tougher restrictions in the winter.
Both Sage and the health secretary will have been keeping a close eye on the number of Covid infections, hospitalisations and deaths, all of which have been rising steadily this month. The worry, of course, is that a surge in infections during the winter will push the health service to collapse and mean we have to lockdown once again.
But does the UK need new coronavirus restrictions? And how serious is the situation heading into the long winter months?
Currently the coronavirus situation in the UK is in flux.
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