Reading East MP Matt Rodda has urged the government to introduce face masks in crowded spaces again.

Earlier this week, Labour called on the government to bring in its Plan B measures to tackle Covid in England, including advice to work from home and compulsory masks.

Plan A, which is currently in place, involves offering booster jabs to the most vulnerable, a single dose to healthy 12 to 15-year-olds and encouraging unvaccinated people to get jabbed.

Matt Rodda says the government needs to “step up” to avoid causing problems for the NHS this winter.

He said: “Rates of infection are rising and we need to step up our efforts to tackle the virus and to avoid serious problems for the NHS during the winter. I am calling on the Government to speed up the vaccination programme and to ensure people to wear masks on public transport and other crowded places. It is vital that residents get both their jabs and once they are double jabbed, also get the booster.”