The government does not expect to make changes to coronavirus lockdown restrictions this week, Dominic Raab has said.
The foreign secretary said the UK’s plan “is working” but that “we are still not past the peak of this virus”.
“Keep this up, we have come too far, lost too many loved ones and sacrificed too much to ease up,” he said.
It came as the government said it might change its advice on using face masks.
The UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance told the daily Downing Street news conference an ongoing review was considering the guidance on whether people should wear face masks.
Mr Raab – who is standing in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he recovers from coronavirus – said a meeting of scientific advisers would take place to review evidence relating to the current lockdown restrictions this week.
“We don’t expect to make any changes to the measures currently in place at that point and we won’t until we’re confident, as confident as we realistically can be, that any such changes can be safely made,” he said.
He told the news conference that easing restrictions too early would “risk a second wave” of infections.
And responding to claims the government lacks an exit strategy, Mr Raab said it was “crucially important that we do not take our eye off the ball or the public’s focus” off social distancing measures.
He admitted the government had been “concerned” people “might start ignoring the advice or cutting corners given the temptation to go out into the sunshine” over the Easter weekend.
However, he said the “overwhelming” majority of people stayed at home.
The number of deaths in UK hospitals has risen to 11,329 – up by 717 since Sunday.
The Department of Health said a further 4,342 people had tested positive for coronavirus as of 9am on Monday.