Matt Hancock has promised to review fines imposed on families travelling for childcare purposes during the lockdown period.
It came as the Prime Minister faced a growing revolt from his own benches over Dominic Cummings breaking strict lockdown rules after a Government minister quit in protest.
Mr Cummings insisted he did not break lockdown rules when he made a 260-mile journey to his father's estate in County Durham but scientists have warned his actions have undermined the public health message.
At the daily Downing Street press conference the first question from the public - asked by Martin from Brighton - was about travelling for childcare, in a reference to the Cummings row.
"Will the Government review all penalty fines imposed on families travelling for childcare purposes during lockdown?" he asked.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "It's a very good question and we do understand the impact and the need for making sure that children get adequate childcare, that is one of the significant concerns that we have had all the way through this."
In answer to a question from a member of the public Mr Hancock promised to speak with the Treasury to see if the fines
Mr Hancock, who also came down with the virus alongside his wife and has three children, defended Dominic Cummings, saying that unlike himself the aide did not have childcare available.
Asked how Mr Cummings was different to him and his wife after testing positive, Mr Hancock told the daily Downing Street press conference: "The relevant difference is that we had childcare readily available at home and Mr Cummings didn't."
Mr Hancock told the Downing Street briefing he believes that Mr Cummings acted within the guidelines set out by the Government.
He said: "My view is that what he did was within the guidelines.
"I can understand why reasonable people can take a different view, but my judgment, which is the same as the Prime Minister's judgment, is that what Mr Cummings did was within the guidelines.
"After all, the guidelines allow for exceptional circumstances, particularly with regards to childcare and we've stated before that if you're unable to look after a small child, that is an exceptional circumstance."
It came as the Health Secretary unveiled plans for some COVID-19 patients to be treated with an anti-viral called remdesivir.
The department of health said that early data from clinical trials around the world showed that the drug could shorten the recovery time of COVID-19 patients by four days.
"As we navigate this unprecedented period, we must be on the front foot of the latest medical advancements, while always ensuring patient safety remains a top priority," junior health minister James Bethell said.
"We will continue to monitor remdesivir's success in clinical trials across the country to ensure the best results for UK patients."
The government said that the allocation of the drugs would be determined by where they would have the greatest benefit, but did not say how many patients would be treated under the arrangement.
The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) last week said that data from its trial of remdesivir showed that the drug offers the most benefit for COVID-19 patients who need extra oxygen but do not require mechanical ventilation.
The researchers also said that "given high mortality despite the use of remdesivir," it is likely that the antiviral drug would be more effective in combination with other treatments for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
Gilead said it expects results from its own study of remdesivir in patients with moderate COVID-19 at the end of this month.
Earlier today Scotland Minister Douglas Ross resigned saying many of his constituents missed loved ones' funerals because they stuck to the regulations.
He said: "I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right."
Some 59% of voters think Mr Cummings should quit, a poll showed.
YouGov said 27% of the 1,160 quizzed believe he should not resign. A separate poll by Savanta/ComRes showed Mr Johnson’s approval rating has dropped to -1% compared with +19% just four days earlier.
The Prime Minister will be grilled by the Commons Liaison Committee tomorrow – his first appearance before the powerful panel of MPs since entering No10 last July.
Senior MPs will tackle Mr Johnson over the Government's response to the pandemic – and his handling of the affair concerning his top aide.
The PM hoped Mr Cummings' unprecedented press conference in the No10 garden on Monday would quell a rising Conservative rebellion over the affair.
But Mr Ross' resignation foiled Downing Street's attempts to draw a line under the row.
MP William Wragg, chairman of the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, warned: "We cannot throw away valuable public and political good will any longer.”
MP Mark Harper, a former Government Chief Whip, said Mr Cummings "should have offered to resign, and the Prime Minister should have accepted his resignation".
Tory former minister Stephen Hammond said: “Public adherence to the rules is achieved by consent in this country and that is made much harder if people feel it is one rule for them and another for senior Government advisers.”
Westminster opposition leaders piled fresh pressure on Mr Johnson as they held a video link conference call to thrash out their next move after the Prime Minister's chief aide's cringing press conference.
An opposition source said: “There was broad agreement in the meeting that the Cummings issue is not going to go away for the government.”
However, Labour boss Keir Starmer did not take part in the call.”
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