Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that tougher measures will be announced soon to control the coronavirus.

Speaking during a visit to Chase Farm Hospital in north London to meet some of the first people to receive the Oxford vaccine on Monday Mr Johnson said there were “tough tough” weeks to come.

He added: “If you look at the numbers there’s no question we will have to take tougher measures and we will be announcing those in due course.”

Boris Johnson said that while the Government will do everything necessary to keep the virus under control, the public must keep their discipline.

He said: “We will do everything we can to keep the virus under control and people should be in no doubt that the Government will do everything that’s necessary.

“But I must stress at this critical moment it is so vital that people keep disciplined.”

The Prime Minister said huge numbers of people were following the guidance and he recognised some were becoming frustrated.

He added: “I think the public have been fantastic in the way they have tried to follow the guidance.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has refused to rule out another national lockdown amid concerns the new variant coronavirus is spreading out of control.

Mr Hancock hailed the start of the rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as an 82-year-old former maintenance manager became the first person to receive the jab outside of clinical trials.

He said the NHS has the capacity to deliver two million doses a week of the vaccine once it receives supplies from the manufacturers.