What is Covid Plan B? Here are the rules and restrictions that could be reintroduced

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, has urged the Government to implement the back-up strategy which involves measures including bringing back mandatory face coverings in public places.

The warning comes as coronavirus deaths in the UK rose to their highest daily level since early March, while cases are at their highest for almost three months.

But what exactly is the Covid ‘Plan B’ and what measures could be reintroduced?

Here’s what you need to know:

What is the Plan B?

When setting out the government’s covid plan in September, the Health Secretary Sajid Javid stated the focus was on booster jabs for the most vulnerable members of society.

SEE ALSO: Latest number of confirmed Covid cases in Portsmouth and Hampshire

However he did warn that some measures could be introduced again, this includes:

- return of face masks

- return of the work from home mandate

- vaccine passports could be mandatory in certain scenarios

Could Plan B be introduced?

Ministers have no plans to activate the Government’s winter Covid ‘Plan B’, Downing Street has said.

A No 10 spokesman they would continue to monitor the latest figures for the disease but that the numbers of hospital admissions and deaths were still ‘substantially lower’ than they were earlier in the year.

‘The important thing is that is the fact that our vaccination programme has has been successful in breaking the link between cases and hospitalisations and deaths,’ the spokesman said.

‘Our focus remains on ensuring ensuring we get boosters out to those who are eligible.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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