The prospects of an early end to the crippling coronavirus lockdown receded today as Boris Johnson is understood to be prioritising staving off a second wave of infections.
The Prime Minister has told colleagues his 'overriding concern' is to avoid a second peak in the pandemic that would plunge the country back into turmoil.
Mr Johnson is still recuperating from the disease at Chequers, but conveyed his views during a two-hour meeting on Friday with foreign secretary Dominic Raab, senior adviser Dominic Cummings, communications director Lee Cain, and cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill.
In a round of interviews this morning, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: 'The PM is very concerned about a second peak if we lift the restrictions too soon.'
Government sources have also been frantically playing down the idea circulated by senior Tories over the weekend that schools could be reopened by mid-May, suggesting early June is more likely.
The timetable emerged amid signs of Cabinet splits over how quickly to ease the draconian curbs, with fears the economic damage will kill more people than the virus itself.
Mr Johnson seems to be taking a more cautious stance than Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove. Hawks in government point out the NHS has some spare capacity to treat patients, and should be allowed to 'run hot' to stop millions of jobs being destroyed.
On another day of coronavirus chaos:
- Another 596 patients died of the virus, the lowest toll in a fortnight;
- A vital shipment of coronavirus protective kit from Turkey looks set to be delayed again - with medics warning they might be forced to stop treating patients;
- The daily number of those tested languished at 21,600 with just ten days to go to hit the Government's 100,000 target;
- The death toll of frontline NHS and care home staff, from heart surgeons and nurses to porters and volunteers, reached at least 80;
- Michael Gove attacked 'grotesque' claims Boris Johnson was 'missing in action' at the start of the crisis after he missed five meetings of the emergency Cobra committee;
- More than 100 top doctors backed calls for the public to be told to wear homemade face masks when they leave the house;
- Chancellor Rishi Sunak was urged to boost his business bailout schemes amid warnings that up to 11.7million could be furloughed or left jobless over the next three months;
- Analysis suggests that more than 2,500 elderly patients are dying of coronavirus in care homes every week.
Some ministers have been pushing a blueprint that would see restrictions start being eased as early as May 11, when the current lockdown period ends.
The 'traffic light' proposals suggest reopening schools part-time, and gradually allowing non-essential shops to get up and running again in an 'amber' phase. Pubs and restaurants, and the over-70s would face many months more on a 'red signal' in isolation until a vaccine can be found or the outbreak fades altogether.
However, Health secretary Matt Hancock has been stressing that before easing restrictions the government should suppress the virus for longer so its transmission rate dwindles.
MailOnline understands Mr Johnson is also cautious about the consequences of lifting the curbs too early, with his priority being to avoid a second peak.
A government source told the Times: 'The idea that we will be rushing to lift measures is a non-starter.
'If the transmission rate rises significantly we will have to do a harder lockdown again.'
The wrangling comes amid a growing backlash over the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Mr Johnson has been accused of 'skipping' five Cobra meetings in January and February as the pandemic emerged.
A devastating Sunday Times article claimed ministers 'just watched' as the death toll mounted in Wuhan.
A Whitehall source said the Government 'missed the boat on testing and PPE' (personal protective equipment) during a vital period before the outbreak took hold in Britain.
The government also shipped 260,000 items of personal protective equipment to China despite warning sirens from doctors that the UK was woefully under-prepared to cope with a pandemic.
But in an extraordinary detailed response last night the government insisted the report contained 'falsehoods' and distorted the picture of its actions.
Earlier, Mr Gove confirmed the PM did not attend the meetings, but described the idea this amounted to neglect as 'grotesque'. 'He didn't. But then he wouldn't. Because most Cobra meetings don't have the Prime Minister attending them.'
He said the UK had sent PPE to China in the initial phase of the crisis, but stressed it was not from the core pandemic stockpile, and Beijing had sent far more back since.
Number 10 insisted Mr Johnson, who is currently recovering from coronavirus at Chequers after spending several nights in intensive care last week, 'has been at the helm' of the government's response to the crisis.
Revelations of Mr Johnson's concerns come as it emerged pubs and restaurants could remain closed until the winter, as Michael Gove (pictured) said hospitality would be 'among the last to exit the lockdown'.
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