The government has promised more detail "in the coming days" around its plan for when and how to ease the UK's coronavirus lockdown.
Ministers are expected to set out more information by the end of the week after Boris Johnson faced calls to name a strategy.
In his first statement since returning to work, the PM today said the government would be "saying much more about this in the coming days".
He gave little detail and neither did No10. But his spokesman gave a few further hints about the nature of information that might be coming soon.
The spokesman also said any change to the lockdown would involve "refining" it, not axing it completely - and stressed it could be tightened in some areas and loosened in others.
The No10 spokesman added the next set of "documents and evidence" from the government's scientific advisors, SAGE, will be published this week.
SAGE's advice is a crucial tool in deciding whether the UK has met the government's five tests before lockdown can be loosened. They are:
- The NHS is able to cope
- A sustained fall in deaths
- New infections dropping enough
- Adequate testing and PPE
- No risk of a second peak
SAGE's minutes are not being published in full, prompting a row over the lack of transparency at the heart of government.
However, the government is also expecting a report from the Office for National Statistics on the infection rate in "early May". This is set to be published in full.
Mr Johnson's official spokesman said: "The key is obviously to have satisfied the five tests.
"And be confident that in refining the social distancing measures we won’t be doing anything that could lead to a second peak."
The PM's spokesman said there "could be an easing in some areas and toughening in other areas."
He added: "We will not be immediately returning to life as we formerly knew it.
"People will have to acclimatise to what Dominic Raab called a 'new normal'."
The law says the UK lockdown must be reviewed by May 7, next Thursday. Measures could be eased, strengthened or not changed at all.
Asked when changes might be revealed, a No10 spokesman said: "May 7 is the point where we are required to have conducted the review.
"I don’t have a fixed day to give you right now. But you heard the PM’s commitment and obviously we’ll meet it."
It is understood it will be made clear by the end of the week how ministers will judge the ability to move into the second phase.
"The PM has said we will be setting out more details in the coming days," the spokesman said. "We're coming through the peak and we will set out more information in due course."
The Prime Minister returned to Downing Street last night - three weeks after being taken to hospital.
It is understood his pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds is back living with him in the 11 Downing Street flat after they spent weeks apart with symptoms. They were reunited at the PM's country retreat Chequers around two weeks ago.
His spokesman said: "He's back full time. In terms of responsibilities and duties, he will be doing all of those."
Mr Johnson is expected to chair Cabinet on Thursday, but the plan for PMQs is not yet clear.
He has been under intense pressure from Tory MPs to set out how the lockdown will be eased to prop up the economy, while still protecting lives.
Today Mr Johnson indicated that it would be a gradual process and promised the "maximum possible transparency" with efforts to seek consensus across party lines.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has been invited for a briefing with the PM and medical chiefs next this week, followed by more briefing with other opposition leaders next week.
And more SAGE participants will be named "in the coming days" - though only if they're happy to be identified.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "This is to safeguard the personal security for the individuals and to protect them from lobbying which may hinder their ability to give impartial advice."
Meanwhile Boris Johnson and "everybody who works in government" will take part in the minute's silence at 11am tomorrow for NHS staff, carers and key workers who've died of coronavirus on the frontline.
Mr Johnson said: "When we are sure that this first phase is over and that we are meeting our five tests... then that will be the time to move on to the second phase.
"In which we continue to suppress the disease and keep the reproduction rate down, but begin gradually to refine the economic and social restrictions and one by one to fire up the engines of this vast UK economy.
"And in that process difficult judgments will be made.
"We simply cannot spell out now how fast or slow or even when those changes will be made, though clearly the Government will be saying much more about this in the coming days."
