Boris Johnson has said he is "optimistic" that he can announce measures to ease lockdown later this month - with reopening schools still his top priority followed by shops.
Leaked figures earlier suggested that hospital admissions are falling faster than expected, raising hopes that measures can soon be eased.
The PM is set to address the nation on February 22 outlining his "roadmap" to bring England out of lockdown. Speaking during a visit to the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies plant in Billingham, Teesside, where the new Novavax vaccine will be manufactured, the Prime Minister said: "I'm optimistic, I won't hide it from you.
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