Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi was unable to assure that the current “tough” lockdown restrictions are sufficient and raised concerns of people not sticking to the rules in supermarkets or when exercising outside.
Pressed on whether the current restrictions are enough, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We don’t want to use tougher measures, the lockdown is tough, schools are shut, but it is important to remember this virus loves social interactions.
“We’re reviewing all the restrictions, but these are pretty tough at the moment. I am worried about supermarkets and people actually wearing masks and following the one-way system, and making sure when it’s at capacity they wait outside the supermarket.
“I’m worried about some of the pictures I’ve seen of social interactions in parks, if you have to exercise you can go out for exercise only.”
The Government is reported to be considering major changes to rules on support bubbles and exercise as well as making people wear masks outside.
Mr Zahawi said there had so far been “higher compliance” with coronavirus restrictions than in November but urged people to resist social interaction.
“Where I am concerned – we don’t want to introduce tougher measures, we’ve already locked down pretty severely,” he told Times Radio.
“The one message is that this virus loves social interaction. We are all very sociable animals … (but) we’ve got to continue to be vigilant.
“It is those social interactions that are helping the virus that we need to avoid.
“These rules are not boundaries to be pushed at, they are rules to help all of us bring down the death rate, bring down the pressure on the NHS and help us, help me, keep vaccinating so that we can actually get ahead of the virus.”
Mr Zahawi has urged the public to follow the rules and wear masks and observe one-way systems in supermarkets.
He told Sky News: “We are concerned that, for example, in supermarkets, we need to make sure people actually wear masks and follow the one-way system rule, and when they are at capacity to operate safely for people to wait outside supermarkets.
“We don’t want to go any tougher because this is a pretty tough lockdown, but what we need is people to behave as if they’ve got the virus so we can bring this virus under control whilst we vaccinate.”
