A minister has rejected bringing in any more Covid restrictions despite the army being sent in to support the NHS.
Paul Scully said he did not think further restrictions were needed at “this moment in time” but plan b will be reviewed before January 26.
It comes as the NHS was put on a war footing, with 200 Armed Forces personnel deployed to hospitals in London as they battle with staff shortages.
Scully told Sky News: “We’re looking at the data but we’ve seen what’s happening in London which was leading the way in the curve on the case numbers.
“We don’t see the need to do it at this moment in time. We’ll clearly be reviewing our plan b scenario before 26 of January and will come to parliament with the decision that’s been taken at that time.”
However, a report in The Times newspaper claimed that health secretary Sajid Javid has warned that Britain risks being forced into another lockdown after the decision to relax international travel restrictions.
Javid apparently argued in a Covid-O Cabinet committee meeting this week that removing the PCR pre-departure test requirement for travellers could lead to “having to shut down the entire economy”.
Pressed on whether they will lockdown again, Scully replied: “I don’t believe at this stage we need any more lockdowns.”
His words echoed Boris Johnson who said this week that ministers hoped to “ride out” the latest wave of covid without the need for further restrictions in England.
Military medics are set to help NHS doctors and nurses with patient care, while general duty personnel will help fill gaps caused by other absences.
Scully stressed that they were not “sitting there in combats” but were there to help with the “undoubted pressures” on the NHS.
The Royal College of Nursing has said the deployment means the government can no longer deny there is a “staffing crisis” within the NHS.
Patricia Marquis, the RCN director for England, said: “The prime minister and others can no longer be dismissive of questions about the ability of NHS staff to deliver safe care.
“Once the military has been brought in, where does the government turn next in a bid to ‘ride out’ the wave rather than deal with it?”
The Ministry of Defence said the deployment included 40 military medics and 160 general duty personnel to help fill gaps caused by absences of NHS staff unable to work because they were ill or having to self-isolate. It is expected they will be “on task” for the next three weeks.
In addition, 32 military co-responders are being provided to support the South Central Ambulance Service, working alongside paramedics until the end of March.
Defence secretary Ben Wallace said: “The men and women of our armed forces are once again stepping up to support their dedicated colleagues in the NHS as they work hand-in-hand to protect the nation from Covid-19.
“They have shown their worth time and again throughout this pandemic, whether driving ambulances, administering vaccines or supporting patients in hospital, and they should be proud of their contribution to this truly national effort.”
The PA news agency reported that as of Thursday 17 hospital trusts in England had declared critical incidents – an alert to signal that there are fears priority services cannot be safely delivered.
Meanwhile, schools are also coming under pressure, with a third of school leaders reporting staff absence rates of more than 10 per cent for Covid-related reasons, according to a survey by the NAHT union.