Matt Hancock refused to rule out an extension to the current coronavirus lockdown amid fears it could stretch into Christmas.
The Health Secretary said it was "too early for us to know" whether coronavirus cases will be brought down sufficiently to ease the second shutdown on December 2.
Boris Johnson hopes the nation will return to local restrictions, but Public Health England's Dr Susan Hopkins - standing alongside Mr Hancock at the Downing Street press conference on Monday - said the lowest tier of earlier measures had had "little effect".
Dr Hopkins, who is advising the Government's Covid-19 response, said they would have to consider strengthening the measures "to get us through the winter months until the vaccine is available for