Covid: 'I would support a circuit breaker' to curb Omicron spread, says NHS Confederation chair

Lord Victor Adebowale, chairman of the NHS Confederation, said he and his members would support a circuit-breaker to tackle the spread of the Omicron variant.

He was asked about reports in The Times newspaper about plans said to be being drawn up to ban people from meeting indoors as part of a two-week circuit-breaker after Christmas.

He told Times Radio: “I would support the circuit breaker. My members would support the circuit-breaker.

“We’ve been calling for Plan B for some time now and we’re glad that it was voted through. I think the Government has to be prepared to recall Parliament if further interventions are needed.”

He described leaked modelling by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) as “very worrying” and said a cautionary approach should be taken.

He said: “The fact of the matter is we should be taking the precautionary principle. We should be protecting our NHS and our public services. We have no economy without health. I actually have a great deal of faith in the British public. They have behaved impeccably, by and large.

“They have taken it on the chin and responded to the pragmatic need to protect themselves and their loved ones, their businesses and public services. I would expect them to do exactly the same.”