Imperial College London's Professor Neil Ferguson told the Sunday Times: "We're going to have to keep these measures (the full lockdown) in place, in my view, for a significant period of time - probably until the end of May, maybe even early June."

Urgent appeal for nurses in Scottish Highlands to deal with pandemic

His comments come as Cabinet minister Michael Gove declined to give a timeframe for the strict measures being lifted.

Social distancing markers on the floor of a supermarket.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster warned on Sunday that ministers would not hesitate to enforce tougher rules, but said the evidence is people are obeying them.

After the death toll in the UK passed 1,000, Mr Gove declined to be drawn on how long the tough measures restricting people's lives would be in place for, and what stricter rules could look like

"There are different projections as to how long the lockdown might last," he told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday, when asked about one key expert's prediction of June.

"But it's not the case that the length of the lockdown is something that is absolutely fixed.

"It depends on all of our behaviour. If we follow the guidelines, we can deal more effectively with the spread of the disease."

He insisted "it is important" that "we don't pre-empt discussion of what other steps may be required" when pressed on what further measures could be introduced.

But the positive message he delivered was that the public appear to be heeding the advice.

"At the moment, all the evidence is that people are observing the rules, if you look at the number of people on public transport that has fallen, if you look at footfall in supermarkets and other stores, that has fallen as well," he said.

"We keep things under review in order to ensure that if there are further steps they can be implemented."

With Boris Johnson working in isolation in his Downing Street flat after testing positive for the disease, Mr Gove insisted the Prime Minister remained "very firmly in charge".

He said the PM would hold another meeting by video conference on Sunday, and confirmed that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is the "designated deputy" if his condition worsened and he could no longer govern.

The UK has hit its initially 10,000-a-day testing target, Mr Gove said, but he refused to give a timeline for when all NHS and social care workers will be tested, despite increasing demands.

Instead, he said that it is hoped to "be able to test as many frontline workers at the earliest possible stage".

Practising medic and Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said she was "really disappointed" that NHS staff and care workers were not currently being tested for the disease.

"These are the people who are at the frontline, these are people who need to know whether or not they have the virus or not," she told Sky.

"It is absolutely urgent that NHS and care staff are tested and they have access to testing immediately," she said.

"I'm not sure it's entirely fair that senior politicians are having access to testing when frontline NHS staff, who are going in to work night shifts, day shifts, double shifts at the moment, can't get the tests that they need."

Meanwhile, an early study of critical care outcomes shows that almost half of patients admitted to intensive care with a confirmed case of coronavirus have died.

The report, by the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC) shows that out of 165 admissions to critical care units in England Wales and Northern Ireland, 79 patients have died and 86 were discharged.

A further 609 patients were last reported as still being in intensive care.

Coronavirus UK: 'Full lockdown could still be in place in June'

Comments