Professor Chris Whitty delivered a grim warning that the public should not expect the number of Covid-19 deaths to "fall away" suddenly.
During today's briefing Professor warned that coronavirus "will not be eradicated" and that the UK is likely to have to live with restrictions for a year.
Professor Whitty told a Downing Street press briefing: "It is important for people to fully understand that... even in those countries which started their epidemic curve earlier than in the UK, and which are still ahead, the downward slope from the point which we change is a relatively slow one. "We should anticipate the same situation in the UK.