NHS chiefs have warned that this Easter is going to be “brutal” as covid infections are soaring and are calling for a return of limits on indoor mixing and masks in crowded spaces.

There has been a significant rise in infections and the World Health Organization (WHO) have warned that they are tracking many cases of two new variants.

Read more:

Boris Johnson refuses to rule out another lockdown or more restrictions as ‘there could be a new variant’ which is ‘more deadly’

Unvaccinated British holidaymakers are banned from from entering Spain

Experts warn there are ‘worrying signs’ as Omicron deaths and hospitalisations are rising and the worst is yet to come

Putin’s war could spread Covid like WWI Spanish flu, but triple-jab means UK best place for refugees

The WHO said that they are investigating the two new sub variants of Omicron  to determine if they are more infectious and or dangerous.

The government has been accused of seemingly wanting to “wash its hands of responsibility” as more than 28,000 NHS staff are off sick with Covid and 94% of hospital beds are now full.

On the situation in UK hospitals, NHS Medical Director Stephen Powis said, “Alongside increasing numbers of Covid and emergency patients and with 94% of beds now occupied, they are also dealing with the highest number of staff off sick due to the virus for 10 weeks – an average of 28,500 staff each day.

“Our frontline staff are working closely together with social care providers to ensure patients leave hospital as soon as they are fit to do so, and hospitals have increased bed numbers and created extra capacity in line with increasing pressure.”

The NHS confederation are calling on the government to impose the return of wearing face masks, limiting indoor mixing to prevent the virus from spreading.

They warned that this Easter may well be as bad as any winter for the NHS if the government does not act now.

Downing Street has rejected the NHS proposals, saying that it was “alive to the pressures” they are facing.

A No 10 spokeswoman said, “There is no change to our guidance and our living with Covid plan still stands.

“Thanks to a combination of vaccination and treatment and our better understanding of the virus we are now able to manage it as we do with other respiratory infections, so that remains the case with our approach.

“But obviously we continue to monitor any changes in the behaviour of the virus.”

Asked about why the NHS leaders feel abandoned by the government, the spokeswoman said, “We are incredibly grateful to NHS staff who worked flat out throughout the pandemic and continue to do so in the face of Covid backlogs.”

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “The brutal reality for staff and patients is that this Easter in the NHS is as bad as any winter.”

“But instead of the understanding and support NHS staff received during 2020 and 2021, we have a Government that seems to want to wash its hands of responsibility for what is occurring in plain sight in local services up and down the country.

“No 10 has seemingly abandoned any interest in Covid whatsoever. NHS leaders and their teams feel abandoned by the Government and they deserve better.”