UK urged to enforce ‘Plan B’ to avoid Covid winter crisis

The country could be facing further restrictions as they gear up for "the most challenging winter on record".

The UK government is gearing up for a difficult few months as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being urged to have a 'Plan B' in place. The warning comes from the National Health Service Confederation's chief executive Matthew Taylor, who is concerned that the Covid-19 situation will deteriorate without action. Speaking to Sky News, Mr Taylor said that the UK is facing "the most challenging winter on record". He said: "The overwhelming evidence is that we need to act." He told the news station that a 'Plan B' this winter would involve: "requiring people to wear masks in crowded places, discouraging unnecessary indoor gatherings, working from home if you can." The NHS executive added that he doesn't think another lockdown will be needed. He said: "I don't think the measures you've just described - closing schools or banning international travel - are necessary at this stage." Mr Taylor continued: "And this is part of the argument - if we can do these things which are inconvenient but allow life to go on then we may not have to do things which will have a bigger impact." The NHS' warning comes as the UK recorded 223 Covid-19 related deaths yesterday, which is the highest figure since 9 March. Reacting to Taylor's remarks, the UK's Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng ruled out the possibility of another national lockdown. Mr Kwarteng said: "I think the conversation about restrictions on travel, restrictions on more lockdowns is completely unhelpful." Sky News' Kay Burley reminded the Secretary of how the Government said something similar this time last year before implementing Covid-19 measures. In response, Kwarteng pointed to the UK's vaccine rollout. "This time last year, we didn't have the vaccine," he said. "We don't want to go back into lockdown and further restrictions."