Minister admits lockdown restrictions may not be sufficient

Pressed on whether the current restrictions are enough, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We don’t want to use tougher measures, the lockdown is tough, schools are shut, but it is important to remember this virus loves social interactions.

“We’re reviewing all the restrictions, but these are pretty tough at the moment. I am worried about supermarkets and people actually wearing masks and following the one-way system, and making sure when it’s at capacity they wait outside the supermarket.

“I’m worried about some of the pictures I’ve seen of social interactions in parks, if you have to exercise you can go out for exercise only.”

He also told Times Radio that there had so far been “higher compliance” with coronavirus restrictions than in November but urged people to resist social interaction.

“Where I am concerned – we don’t want to introduce tougher measures, we’ve already locked down pretty severely,” he told Times Radio.

“The one message is that this virus loves social interaction. We are all very sociable animals … (but) we’ve got to continue to be vigilant.

“It is those social interactions that are helping the virus that we need to avoid.

“These rules are not boundaries to be pushed at, they are rules to help all of us bring down the death rate, bring down the pressure on the NHS and help us, help me, keep vaccinating so that we can actually get ahead of the virus.”