Matt Hancock: 'A lot more work needs to be done' before lockdown can be lifted

The health secretary has said he will need to see further decreases in the number of coronavirus cases before easing the lockdown.

In an interview with ITV Anglia Matt Hancock acknowledged the economic importance of reopening the UK, but refused to reveal any plans about when that might happen.

The West Suffolk MP said: "It is too soon safely to make those sorts of adjustments.

"As and when we can of course we’ll explain what we think base on the science are the best new guidelines, but the truth is both the health of the nation and the economy are best served by getting the number of new cases right down.

"That is clearly starting to happen, we’ve seen a plateau in the number of new cases, but there’s a lot more work needs to be done.

"I understand the economic concerns but I also know if we get a second peak that’ll be a disaster for peoples and lives and the economy."

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The Health Secretary also said he was "very glad" they had been able to change the rules so that anyone being discharged from a hospital to a care home was tested for the virus.

ITV Anglia's Becky Jago started the interview by asking him why that had not always been the case:

Mr Hancock also addressed concerns from PPE producers that they had not been able to get in touch with the NHS to pass on the equipment.

He said: "Every local care home and every local hospital is trying to buy PPE and offers of PPE are very welcome.

"We are rigorous about the standards that are required but we’re also very welcoming of offers."

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The 41-year-old is one of the key decision-makers at the head of the government, along with Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove.

He admitted his work ethic was based on the 'Serenity Prayer':

"My attitude is just that I wake up in the morning, I do everything I possibly can to get the country through this as well as possible and then I go to bed and then I wake up and repeat the process," he said.

Coronavirus: Everything you need to know