After months of good news, including falling Covid cases and a hugely successful vaccination campaign, the tone has shifted.
England’s full relaxation of rules in June is in jeopardy and there is the looming spectre of greater pressure on the NHS.
The thorn in the plans is the variant of coronavirus that emerged in India – B.1.617.2 – and has started spreading around the world.
Concerns have been mounting over the past week and, for the first time, the scientists advising the UK government are now confident it does spread more easily.
