The British government is considering a new set of coronavirus restrictions including orders to work from home and the introduction of vaccine passports to deal with rising cases and the spread of the Omicron variant.
Downing Street sources insisted "no decisions have been made" but there is widespread speculation that further measures could be imminent.
A prominent member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warned that a full UK-wide lockdown to deal with the threat of the Omicron variant cannot be ruled out, although the current threat posed by the strain remains unclear.
Any move to impose fresh restrictions would be viewed with suspicion in Westminster at a time when Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure