An 'immediate' roll-out of Plan B Covid restrictions is being considered by government officials, according to a leaked memo.
In an email sent from the UK Health Security Agency to local council leaders and directors of Public Health late last week, a string of measures were outlined.
These included working from home, vaccine passports for nightclubs, and the return of legally mandated face masks, reports the Mirror.
According to the Sun, an official wrote: "I have been asked to canvas opinion on the level of support for immediate roll-out of the Winter Plan - Plan B."
Just days earlier, Health Secretary Sajid Javid refused to trigger Plan B, despite a rise in infections.
He told a No10 press conference it was right to hold back on Plan B, because pressure on the NHS isn't "unsustainable" yet.
That was despite the NHS Confederation begging for a "Plan B plus" to avoid the nation stumbling into a "winter crisis".
The email adds that the public would have to be told "clearly and urgently” that the risk had increased, and explaining "the need to behave more cautiously."
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "With a mounting tide of Covid sickness and hospitals under crushing pressure it’s no surprise Tory ministers are secretly plotting to bring back masks and introduce vaccine passports.
“But whether it’s plan A, B or C to get on top of this deadly disease Sajid Javid needs to urgently fix the stuttering jabs campaign.
“Vaccination should be our wall of defence but that wall is crumbling. The complacency must be ditched, we need vaccination fixed.”
A spokesperson for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: “We don’t comment on leaks. It is part of UKHSA‘s role to provide advice to the Government on the ongoing response to the pandemic."
A Government spokesperson said: “We knew the coming months would be challenging – this is exactly why we set out our Covid Plan for Autumn and Winter.
“We are monitoring all the data closely, and the Prime Minister has been clear that it does not yet show that Plan B is necessary.
“Our focus remains on our booster campaign, vaccinating 12- 15-year-olds, and encouraging those who haven’t yet come forward to have their jab.”
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