Sajid Javid's positive Covid test leaves ministers waiting to hear if they now face self-isolation
Members of the government could be spending England's so-called "freedom day," when Covid rules are eased, in isolation after Sajid Javid tested positive for the virus.
Ministers and officials face an anxious wait to learn if they are deemed as 'close contacts' and therefore must quarantine.
The Health Secretary announced late on Saturday he had tested positive for coronavirus.
In a a message posted on his Twitter feed, Mr Javid said: “My positive result has now been confirmed by PCR test, so I will continue to isolate and work from home.”
The result is the signal for NHS Test and Trace to begin tracking down his recent close contacts and instructing them to quarantine.
It could potentially mean a swathe of ministers and senior officials will be confined to their homes when lockdown restrictions in England finally end on Monday.
Downing Street would not comment on suggestions Boris Johnson could be among them after he was reported to have had a lengthy meeting with Mr Javid in Number 10 on Friday.
The health secretary also shared photographs on social media of a care home visit in London on Tuesday.
The timing could hardly have been worse for government with scientists voicing increasing concern at the idea of ending all statutory legal controls while cases continue to surge.
It also comes amid warnings of staff shortages due to the volume of people being "pinged" by the NHS Test and Trace app - telling them to self isolate.
The London Underground became the latest to succumb with the Metropolitan line forced to close on Saturday due to a shortage of control room staff.
More than half a million people received a notification in the week to July 7.
It raises the prospect that England's “freedom day” will descend into chaos with ministers reduced to welcoming the changes remotely from their living rooms.
How much of Whitehall may be self-isolating after the health secretary tested positive for Covid? ITV News Political Correspondent David Wood explains
The Liberal Democrats said that Mr Javid’s positive test underlined the case for government to rethink its plans.
Health spokeswoman Munira Wilson said: “This shows no-one is safe from this deadly virus. By easing all restrictions with cases surging, they are experimenting with people’s lives.
“Right now, they are pursuing a strategy of survival of the fittest, where the young and clinically vulnerable will be left defenceless.”
Mr Johnson has repeatedly said he wants the lifting of lockdown to be “irreversible”, but in recent days ministers have begun to sound more cautious.
Lockdown rules in England: What's changing from July 19
What has happened to social distancing and the rule of six?
What has happened to social distancing and the rule of six?
The 'one metre plus' rule has been scrapped entirely, as of July 19 in England. However, some guidance to maintain social distancing in certain situations will remain in place of the legal restrictions.
Social distancing guidance will continue if someone is Covid positive and self-isolating, or in airports, or other ports of entry, to avoid travellers arriving from amber or red-list countries mixing with those from green list areas.
Limits on social contact in England have disappeared, meaning the end of the rule of six indoors and the limit of 30 people for outdoor gatherings.
Do I still need to wear a face mask?
Do I still need to wear a face mask?
There is now no legal requirements to wear face coverings - but guidance still encourages using masks in some settings, including hospitals, healthcare settings and in crowded enclosed public spaces.
Has the working from home guidance changed?
Has the working from home guidance changed?
The guidance on working from home has gone. It's ultimately down to employers to decide whether to keep staff at home or in the office, but the government say employers are able to plan the return of staff to the workplace.
What about weddings and funerals?
What about weddings and funerals?
The current limits on numbers of people who can attend weddings, funerals and other life events has ended.
What's happening in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
What's happening in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The changes to Covid rules announced by Boris Johnson, only impact England and will not change regulations in Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland.
The Welsh Government “would like to move together” with other parts of the UK in lifting coronavirus restrictions but will only do so if it is “right for Wales”, health minister Eluned Morgan said on Monday 5 July.
As of July 19, restrictions in Scotland have eased, with all areas of the country moving to level 0. The government is aiming to lift all major restrictions in Scotland by August 9.
In Northern Ireland, some significant restrictions have already been eased including allowing the resumption of live music and the lifting of caps on organised outdoor gatherings.
Earlier Mr Javid said he had taken a lateral flow test on Saturday morning after feeling “a bit groggy” the evening before.
He said he had recorded the positive result, despite having had both doses of the vaccine, but was only experiencing “mild” symptoms.
His positive test meant that Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick had to be drafted in to replace him in a series of broadcast interviews with the Sunday morning politics shows.
Mr Javid was only appointed to the post last month following the resignation of Matt Hancock after CCTV footage emerged showing him kissing an aide in his office in breach of social distancing rules.
He is seen by Tory MPs impatient with lockdown measures as being noticeably keener than his predecessor on easing restrictions.
Coronavirus: What you need to know - listen to the latest episode
Meanwhile the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) insisted no decisions had been made after it was reported that ministers were set to come out against mass vaccinations for teenagers.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that guidance due to be issued on Monday was expected to recommend the vaccine is offered to vulnerable 12 to 15-year-olds and to 17-year-olds who are within three months of turning 18.
The paper said the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is believed to have advised against the rollout of vaccines to all children until there is further evidence on the risks involved.
A DHSC spokesman said: “The government will continue to be guided by the advice of the JCVI and no decisions have been made by ministers on whether people aged 12 to 17 should be routinely offered Covid-19 vaccines.”