Ministers tonight insisted lockdown could still be reimposed nationally if coronavirus flares up again - as experts warned the relaxation might risk a second spike.
With beaches and parks again swamped as people take advantage of scorching weather, Matt Hancock stressed this evening that the contact tracing regime should help crack down on any local surges in infection.
But the Health Secretary conceded that he could not rule out having to bring back the blanket curbs that have just been loosened in England.
'We are attempting to move the system from these national, blanket measures to a more targeted approach - this is why test and trace is such an important part of that,' Mr Hancock told the daily No10 briefing.
'But we have always said that we are prepared to reintroduce measures - whether that is nationally or in response to a localised outbreak - if that is necessary.'
Earlier, Downing Street admitted the coronavirus alert level has still not been reduced from level four to three, even though the guidance suggested easing of lockdown was not possible until it was lowered. But the PM's spokesman insisted that as long as the public stick to the rules is is 'unlikely' the R reproduction number for the disease would rise about the critical number of one.
Tories and top scientists have voiced alarm about the consequences of the tweaks in England - which include six people from different households being able to meet up in public places or gardens, primary schools starting to return, and more shops opening. There are concerns it will be impossible to put the 'genie back in the bottle' if cases do increase, with one MP telling MailOnline the government had gone from 'baby steps to giant steps' with nothing in between.
In other twists and turns in the coronavirus saga today:
- Britain today announced 115 more coronavirus deaths as separate figures revealed almost half of NHS hospital trusts in England have reported no new fatalities in the past 48 hours;
- Guidance from the National Police Chiefs' Council and the College of Policing said police in England can tell people to leave a home if they are breaching the rules, but cannot force them to go.
- Plans to end virtual voting in the Commons, which could see kilometre-long socially-distanced queues in Parliament, were criticised as discriminating against shielding MPs.
- Pigeon racing beat snooker and horse racing to become the first sport to resume with the easing of lockdown restrictions in England.
People fill up the beach at Westbay in Dorset today as they take advantage of relaxation of the lockdown rules
The market on Portobello Road in London has been reopened today as the country starts to get back towards normality
With beaches and parks again swamped as people take advantage of scorching weather, Matt Hancock stressed this evening that the contact tracing regime should help crack down on any local surges in infection
There were huge queues outside IKEA in Nottingham as shops began to reopen
Shoppers wear masks as they stroll through marketplaces in London as lockdown restrictions ease
Millions of ppils in year 1, Year 6 and Reception are also returning to classrooms today for the first time since March
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