Downing Street has broadened the deadline for delivering the plans to ease the lockdown, in a move that could see the day earmarked for the reopening of schools delayed.
It comes as Boris Johnson said he is "optimistic" he will be able to set out plans for a "cautious" easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England later this month.
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The Prime Minister said that while the overall number of cases remained high, the infection rate was starting to fall while the rollout of the vaccination programme has made "huge progress".
He told reporters during a visit to a vaccine manufacturing facility in Teesside: "I'm optimistic, I won't hide if from you. I'm optimistic but we have to be cautious."
His comments came as scientists continued to urge caution over the easing of the current controls when Mr Johnson sets out his "roadmap" out of lockdown for England.
The Prime Minister said that the Government's priority remained the opening of schools in England on March 8, to be followed by other sectors as conditions allowed.
He said: "Our children's education is our number one priority, but then working forward, getting non-essential retail open as well and then, in due course, as and when we can prudently and cautiously, of course we want to be opening hospitality as well.
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"I will be trying to set out as much as I possibly can, in as much detail as I can, always understanding that we have to be wary of the pattern of disease. We don't want to be forced into any kind of retreat or reverse ferret."
Previously Boris Johnson and other ministers have said that the "roadmap" will be published on February 22.
But on Thursday the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We've been clear we will publish the roadmap on the week of the 22nd.
"We will set out the roadmap that week but you've got what we've said previously about trying to give schools as much notice as possible and we've said we'll give at least two weeks."
