The effect that lockdowns have on people’s lives is as bad as going to hospital, Sir Iain Duncan Smith has warned amid uncertainty over new restrictions.
The former leader of the Conservative Party told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "We need to understand the effect of lockdown is dramatic across so many areas of people's lives, which equates to the same as people going into hospital."
He urged the Government to make a decision about further restrictions only when there is a "wider range of information on the effect of lockdown".
Sir Iain said: "We do not want to end up where we were last Christmas and we do have a significantly vaccinated population and that has a huge effect on hospitalisation, so we are under different circumstances than we were last January."
After a lengthy Cabinet meeting on Monday, Boris Johnson said that while there would be no new restrictions now, he would not rule out the possibility of bringing them in later.
The Prime Minister said the arguments for taking action in response to Omicron were "very, very finely balanced" and that the Government is keeping the data under "constant review".
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The Government will "look closely at the data" about whether or not to have a circuit-breaker lockdown after Christmas, a minister has said.
When asked if the measure was being considered by LBC, Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay said: "We are looking closely at the data, there is much we still don't know about the severity of Omicron, how it leads to hospital admissions.
"We are looking particularly at the London data, there is a higher prevalence of Omicron particularly in London."
Asked if he had been among members of the Cabinet calling for more data before new restrictions were introduced, Mr Barclay said: "I think it is right that the Cabinet has a full and robust discussion.
"That is what people would expect. It is right that we look at the balance between protecting lives and livelihoods."
There would be "economic consequences" to further Covid restrictions, a minister has stated as he said Parliament is not yet due to be recalled to discuss new measures.
Steve Barclay told BBC Breakfast: "The Prime Minister has given a commitment that where there are additional regulations bought forward that Parliament would be recalled in order that Members of Parliament can scrutinise and debate those issues, but we are not at that stage.
"We are looking closely at the data and we need to recognise there are economic consequences to further restrictions."
He added: "There is much that we still don't know but we are still looking at that data on what are very finely-balanced decisions."
New restrictions are unlikely to stop Christmas celebrations this week but Boris Johnson has urged caution amid speculation further measures will be needed to halt the spread of the Omicron variant.
But as the Prime Minister promised to keep the data under constant review, the Queen abandoned her Christmas at Sandringham and London mayor Sadiq Khan cancelled the capital's New Year's Eve celebrations.
After a special two-hour meeting of the Cabinet on Monday, the Prime Minister said the Government needs to be clearer about the rate of hospital admissions associated with Omicron, and the effectiveness of vaccines against it, before imposing additional measures in England to prevent the spread of the virus.
But Boris Johnson said the Government will "reserve the possibility" of implementing new restrictions, causing opposition politicians to accuse him of lacking a clear plan.
But although Mr Johnson stopped short of imposing new official restrictions, the Prime Minister said the Government wants people to focus on "exercising caution".
The Prime Minister said the arguments for taking action in response to Omicron were "very, very finely balanced" and that the Government is keeping the data under "constant review".
Boris Johnson has been urged to bring clarity to Christmas plans, as the festive period was thrown into limbo amid uncertainty over new restrictions.
The Prime Minister was blocked by his Cabinet from introducing immediate new restrictions, as at least a dozen ministers spoke out against plans for further curbs during a two-hour special meeting on Monday.
Mr Johnson said that while there would be no new restrictions now, he would not rule out the possibility of bringing them in later - in contrast to Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, who promised no changes to her Covid rules “up and over” the Christmas weekend.
Half an hour after the Prime Minister's address, the Queen announced she was cancelling her trip to Sandringham for the second year running and will instead spend Christmas at Windsor Castle.
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