Calls are ramping up for Covid restrictions to return in the UK despite a raft of data showing the virus has been reduced to a bad cold for the vast majority of people.
A number of high profile experts publicly urged the Government to bring back face masks and free tests after a health minister admitted they could be reintroduced if the NHS becomes too busy to clear its backlogs.
The renewed calls for onerous public health measures are based on high levels of Covid cases and admissions to hospitals — despite figures showing two-thirds of ‘Covid patients’ in the NHS are not primarily sick with the virus.
Deaths and ICU rates — which used to be the barometer for social restrictions — have remained flat despite the uptick in cases, which has been attributed to milder variants, vaccines and growing natural immunity.
Yet Lord Syed Kamall, a junior health minister, said on Monday that if Covid impedes on the NHS’ ability to treat other conditions then ‘clearly measures may well have…
