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Covid measures ‘plan C’ has been discussed, senior official tells MPs

plan C

Covid measures ‘plan C’ has been discussed, senior official tells MPs

A “plan C” for tougher coronavirus restrictions has been discussed in official circles, a senior civil servant has confirmed, despite ministers denying that tougher measures are an option this Christmas should the rate of new cases continue to rise.

The indication of planning for potentially harsher restrictions comes as senior scientists and Labour push for the rollout of “plan B”, an existing package of “light-touch” measures including advice to work from home and compulsory face masks in some settings.

Last week the health minster Edward Argar denied that anything of the order of a plan C – which could include restrictions on household mixing at Christmas – was being contemplated by the government.

However, the term was used on Tuesday by Prof Lucy Chappell, the chief scientific adviser for the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), when MPs asked whether a failure to bring in plan B actions now may mean tighter restrictions are needed later.

“I think it suggests that plan A and plan B and whatever the plan C looks like are mutually exclusive, but they are not,” she told the science and technology select committee on Covid transmission.

Chappell was then questioned on whether a plan C did, in fact, exist.

“It has been proposed … The name has been mentioned. It has not been extensively worked up,” she said, adding that at the DHSC, “at the moment, the focus is on plan B”.

Dr Thomas Waite, the interim deputy chief medical officer at the DHSC, said it was up to the government, not scientific advisers, to decide whether plan B should be introduced. He suggested there was no single measure or threshold that would inform the move, rather a consideration of various factors, including age-stratified case rates, the rate of change in hospital admissions, the impact of waning immunity, and the influence of booster jabs.

The evidence session also included testimony from Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, who suggested that although transmission in the UK was high, focusing on daily figures of Covid hospitalisations and deaths was misleading, noting they included people who needed medical help or had died for another reason.

Pollard also suggested that regular testing in schools was problematic.

“Clearly, the large amount of testing in schools is very disruptive to the system, whether that is the individual child who is then isolating, because they’ve tested positive, but they’re completely well, or it’s because of the concerns that that raises more widely in the school,” he said.

“I think probably we need to move in the pandemic, over this winter, maybe towards the end of the winter, to a completely different system of clinically driven testing,” he said. “In other words, testing people who are unwell rather than having a regular testing of those people who are well.”

Pollard said that while vaccinating people who have yet to have a Covid jab would make a big difference for intensive care, and booster doses may reduce hospital admissions, vaccinations alone would not be enough to remove pressures on the NHS.

“When you look at where the NHS is today, it is incredibly fragile, whether it’s in primary care and secondary care or in social care, and that fragility is only contributed [to] a small amount by Covid,” he said.

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Health

Lassa Fever: Death toll rises to 15 in Edo

The Edo Government has confirmed 15 deaths from Lassa fever since the outbreak of the disease in the state in December 2024.

The Director of Public Health, Edo State Ministry of Health, Dr Stephenson Ojeifo, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin while responding to concerns on social media regarding the government’s efforts in tackling the outbreak.

“As of today, Edo State has recorded over 1,000 suspected cases of Lassa fever. Out of these, 103 have tested positive

“From the 103 confirmed cases, we have recorded 15 deaths, while others have been treated and discharged,” he said.

Ojeifo asserted that Gov. Monday Okpebholo had strengthened surveillance and contact tracing efforts, ensuring that all necessary resources were available to contain the outbreak.

He, however, attributed the high mortality rate to late referrals, noting that many patients arrive at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in critical condition.

“The problem is that patients are only referred to ISTH when their condition has deteriorated.

“We have been sensitising residents to seek medical attention if they experience persistent fever that does not resolve, so that samples can be tested and treatment can commence early if needed,” he said.

The director urged healthcare providers to avoid delays in referring suspected cases to designated treatment centres.

He warned that any hospital found treating Lassa fever patients without proper authorisation would face sanctions.

In addition to the Lassa fever outbreak, Ojeifo disclosed that the state had recorded 11 suspected cases of Mpox, with five confirmed positives.

He, however, said that no deaths were recorded, as all affected individuals received timely medical attention.

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Health

Kebbi Govt confirms outbreak of meningitis with 26 deaths

The Kebbi State Government has confirmed an outbreak of meningitis in three Local Government Areas (LGAs), with 26 deaths recorded so far.

The State Commissioner for Health, Yanusa Ismail, disclosed this during a press conference in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

He revealed that a total of 248 suspected cases have been recorded, with 11 samples taken for examination, out of which three have been confirmed negative.

According to the commissioner, the affected LGAs are Gwandu, Aleiro, and Jega. He provided a breakdown of the fatalities as follows: 18 in Gwandu, six in Jega, four in Aleiro, and one in Argungu.

In response to the outbreak, the Kebbi State Government has approved ₦30 million for the procurement of drugs to contain the spread of the disease.

The commissioner urged the public to maintain personal hygiene and avoid crowded places to reduce the risk of infection.

He also confirmed that isolation centres have been set up to manage cases.

He added that samples have been sent to Abuja for further testing, and if confirmed, the state government will request vaccines to prevent further spread.

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Health

Diphtheria outbreak hits Kings College Lagos

A 12-year-old student at the King’s College in Victoria Island, has died with fourteen others hospitalisized following the outbreak of diphtheria.

According to the Lagos State government, 34 close contacts of the deceased have been identified and placed under observation.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed that the index case, a 12-year-old boy, developed a sore throat and fever on February 22 and was referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where he received treatment but succumbed to myocarditis, a severe diphtheria complication, on March 6.

He added that 14 other students showed signs of the infection and were transferred to LUTH for screening. Twelve tested positive for early signs of diphtheria and are receiving antibiotics and diphtheria antitoxin serum. All are reported to be recovering.

The state government due to the incident activated an Emergency Response Committee and will begin a mass vaccination campaign targeting schoolchildren and healthcare providers. Nearly 500,000 doses of diphtheria vaccine will be deployed to high-risk areas, and infection prevention measures will be strengthened at King’s College.

Public awareness campaigns are also underway, urging residents to recognize symptoms such as sore throat, fever, difficulty breathing, and swollen neck glands. The Lagos State government is working closely with federal health agencies and the WHO to contain the outbreak.

Prof. Abayomi reassured residents that the situation is under control and emphasized the importance of good hygiene, avoiding crowded places, and seeking immediate medical attention if symptoms appear.

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