Covid infections, hospitalisation and deaths are significantly higher than at the same time last year.

No wonder families and businesses fear a return of widespread Covid restrictions.

Such worrying stats mean the Prime Minister and Health Secretary must be absolutely clear about what levels will trigger the Government’s Plan B constraints on us.

Booster jabs for over-50s and first doses for 12-to-15-year-olds are logical, unlike ending compulsory masks on England’s public transport and in shops.

Illness and death are significantly reduced, not eliminated, by vaccines. A Plan B for if the current strategy fails just shows how much Boris Johnson and Sajid Javid are gambling with our lives and livelihoods.

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Lifting too many curbs too soon would have backfired if we find this winter the Government is forced to ramp up restrictions.

Death dignity

Condemning the seriously ill to live in agony is cruel, so many will welcome the British Medical Association dropping its opposition to assisted dying.

Those with money can legally travel to Dignitas in Switzerland to end their days with dignity. The ban across Great Britain and Northern Ireland is increasingly outdated.

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Rigorous safeguards would be required to prevent nefarious relatives or grasping potential beneficiaries of wills from strong-arming or tricking otherwise healthy and happy people into going before their time.

But when we wouldn’t let a cat or dog suffer, prolonging the pain of those wanting to die on their own terms is barbaric.

Ucan slam PM

Tennis ace Emma Raducanu is too graceful to reject a phone call from the shameless Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

If he fancies a match she should charge him £160,000, the amount paid into Tory coffers by the wife of one of Russia’s former ministers for a knock-up with Johnson and David Cameron.