Stripping back restrictions and policy interventions adopted earlier in the pandemic will be welcomed by a group of lockdown-sceptic Tory MPs frustrated by Boris Johnson's approach.

Ahead of Monday's key meeting to sign off the policy change, a senior government source familiar with discussions outlined the argument for ending the requirement.

"Omicron has changed things. When we first introduced the policy, it was delta that was the dominant variant. That was very high risk in terms of how severe it was," the source said.

"For omicron, while it is more transmissible, all the studies have shown it is less severe. That has changed the conversation about whether mandatory jabs are still proportionate."

At a recent parliamentary committee appearance, Mr Javid signalled that he was open to a change in approach, saying the mandatory jabs policy was being kept "under review".

Changing the law to force scores of workers to get Covid jabs sparked controversy when The Telegraph revealed the plans last March. A legal expert at the time said that the only comparable UK laws dated from the 1800s, when newborns had to be given smallpox jabs.

Matt Hancock, then the health secretary, had championed the change, and Mr Johnson agreed. But Mr Javid has been more cautious about Covid interventions.

It is unclear when the policy change, once signed off, will be announced. It is expected to be made public before the Feb 3 cut-off for unvaccinated NHS workers to get jabbed.

NHS guidance to employers said all front line staff who had not been vaccinated should start being called into formal meetings from Feb 4 and warned that they faced dismissal.

Last week, the Health Secretary said around 77,000 NHS workers remain unvaccinated against the virus. Ministers are expected to point to the fact that tens of thousands of healthcare workers were vaccinated after the original policy was announced.