People who have had a Covid vaccination have been urged not to break lockdown rules - with a warning that it is still "too early to relax".
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, said there were "worrying signs", revealing that he has received a number of emails on the subject.
He told a Downing Street press conference: "People ask me, 'I have had the vaccine can I break the rules? Can I see my grandchildren?'
"The answer is no. We are not in the right place.
"Please don't be tempted to think that one visit won't really matter, one small gathering outside of the house won't really matter. I am afraid it will.
"There are signs that people are relaxing and taking their foot off the brake."
He presented what he called “quite sobering” slides at a Downing Street press conference showing a rise in coronavirus cases in some parts of the country.
He said the slides showed that there “were quite a few areas of the UK that are burning quite hot”, including in the Midlands and spreading up to the west coast of England.
Professor Van Tam added: “Although it is generally good news, I’m afraid it is better news in some places than it is in others and this is not a battle that we have won yet.
“In some parts of the UK, case rates are changing, albeit slowly, in the wrong direction.
“This is not a good sign and reinforces the fact that I’m afraid this battle at the moment is not won."
Using a football analogy, he added: "It's like being three up in a game and thinking we cannot lose this now.
"Do not wreck this now. It is too early to relax. Just a few more months."
