Ministers were today begged not to reintroduce any Covid-era restrictions amid claims face mask and work from home guidance could be adopted to stop the NHS from meltdown. Hospitals are buckling under winter demand, soaring rates of flu, staff.
Dr Trish Greenhalgh, a primary healthcare expert and GP at the University of Oxford, told MailOnline people should avoid seeing their friends and family face-to-face to slow transmission of the virus.
Ministers are said to be considering issuing fresh guidance to wear masks on public transport, work-from-home and socially distance if pressure on the health service continues to rise.