Stricter measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus could last as long as a year, a government expert has said.
Last night Boris Johnson announced the biggest restrictions in peacetime - ordering people to avoid pubs, restaurants and clubs, unnecessary travel, and leaving the house where at all possible.
England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer insisted the stricter measures to tackle the coronavirus had not been introduced too late.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said the measures could be in place for "several months" - and wouldn't rule out them lasting a year.
He told the BBC: "We are following the science very carefully and consider the measures we announced yesterday have been announced at the right time - not too early and certainly not too late.
"We don't rule out taking further measures if these are necessary but much of this depends on how the next two weeks play out."
He added: “We can’t say how long this will need to go on for.
“I don’t know if it could be a year yet. I think we’re too far out to make those kinds of predictions. But I certainly think it could be several months."
England's deputy chief medical officer said there are "significant moves afoot" to increase coronavirus testing but said currently it must be focused where it will most benefit the "country as a whole".
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam told BBC Breakfast: "We in the UK already perform really a very high level of testing compared to most nations on the planet but for now we are absolutely focusing our testing where it's going to help us most, where it's going to matter, which is patients on the intensive care unit, patients admitted to hospital with the coronavirus and special situations such as outbreak settings."
He added: "We do have an absolute ambition to increase testing as much as we possibly can. There are already significant moves afoot inside the NHS and Public Health England to further increase the testing and capacity.
"We understand it is a better place for people to be if they understand their diagnosis but right now we have to focus the testing where it's going to do most good for the country as a whole."
