Sajid Javid will host a Downing Street press conference at 5pm on Wednesday, amid calls for the government to reimpose some coronavirus restrictions to prevent a winter NHS crisis.
England’s autumn and winter coronavirus strategy includes “Plan B” as a contingency measure if the health service comes under unsustainable pressure.
That could include legally mandating face coverings in some settings, introducing mandatory vaccine-only Covid-status certification and asking people to work from home.
On Tuesday, the Government said a further 223 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 – bringing the UK total to 138,852.
While the numbers are often higher on Tuesdays because of a lag in reporting deaths and cases over the weekend, this is the highest figure for daily reported deaths since March 9.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, said this morning it was not time to introduce “Plan B”.
But Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents health bodies, warned “we risk stumbling into a winter crisis” unless measures are introduced now.