Wearing masks in crowded spaces and limiting mixing indoors are some of the Covid rules the UK needs to bring back to avoid a "brutal" Easter, an NHS chief has warned.
The NHS Confederation has accused the Government of "abandoning any interest in Covid whatsoever" and says hospitals are set to deal with a "brutal Easter as bad as any winter'".
Last week Covid cases hit the highest since February 2021 at 20,331 infections.
That is despite official tallies having plunged because of No10's decision to axe the £2billion-a-month mass-swabbing regime.
The NHS Confederation, which acts as a representative for hospitals and ambulance trusts, called for "mitigating actions" such as not meeting people indoors and mask-wearing in crowded spaces.
This would help prevent the spread of the virus, the health and wellbeing organisation told The Times.
It also said the Government needs to introduce a "public information campaign" in England to ask people to stay away from A&E unless they have an emergency.
The so-called coronavirus dashboard shows cases (and tests performed) decreasing, however hospitalisations and deaths are still rising although both statistics usually lag behind infections.
It is estimated a record one in 13 people currently have coronavirus in England.
Confederation boss Matthew Taylor said: "NHS leaders report a clear disconnect between the Government's Living with Covid plan and the realities at the NHS front line.
"We have a Government that seems to want to wash its hands of responsibility for what is occurring in plain sight up and down the country.
"No 10 has seemingly abandoned any interest in Covid whatsoever."
It comes after Boris Johnson said he "can't rule out" another Covid lockdown after previously promising the route to normality was "irreversible" following two years of draconian restrictions.
Mr Johnson's plan has been for us to learn to live with Covid, and the lack of panic from rising cases appears to be due to reports that the latest strain doesn't cause any more severe illness.
Free Covid tests have now ended for the majority of people in England.
Only the vulnerable, including those with health conditions and high-risk jobs, will be eligible to pick up swabs without paying.
Health bosses still say that vaccines are the best line of defence and spring booster jabs are being rolled out for certain groups.
