But his announcement came with a warning that the country mustn't lose control and risk a second spike of the virus.

It was the first time the prime minister led the daily briefing since himself becoming ill with Kobe 19.

Amongst the measures being considered to restart the economy of the reopening of schools and of public transport, Mr Johnson also said that face coverings could be useful as part off the strategy.

This is the latest data which suggests that deaths peaked in the middle of April and have been falling gradually since then.

A further 674 deaths linked to the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours.

That takes the total number of UK deaths of people who tested positive for the virus in hospitals, care homes and in the community to 26,771.

Our political editor Laura Kononsberg reports.

Our doors have been closed for 38 days in city country life hidden away.

Our streets fell silent behind this door.

Now, decisions must be taken about what's next with perhaps the wires behind us.

I couldn't.

I confirmed Today for the first time, we are past the peak of this disease.

We're past the peak, and we're on the downward slope.

But on his own return to these nine routine press appearances, the prime minister was plain.

There is no easy or quick way out.

We've come under what could have bean a vast peak, as though we've been going through some huge alpine tongue, and we can now see the sunlight on the posture ahead of us.

And so it is vital that we do not now lose control on run.

Slap into a second, I'm even bigger mountain.

You'll set out an exit route that next week, and it won't happen fast.

Guided by the crucial our infection rate had quickly the disease passes from Paris in two person.

It's gone down but must stay below one to control the infection.

Keeping the order is going to be absolutely vital to our recovery, keeping the reproduction rate of the disease done.

Onda.

We could only do it by our collective discipline and working together like the prime minister himself.

Debbie Clifford and Cheltenham struggled with the virus in intensive care.

She feared she'd lose her life.

I can't tell you how I feel about the loss of, well, friends, the four people who died on my ward the day that I got well, the fact that I've pattern mentally say goodbye to people that I'm your potential thought I'd never see again.

That the look don't can't stop has been huge suffering to people's health, but also to the country's wells.

Many people are very, very worried about making ends meet by continuing with locked down.

Are you telling the public that the economy just has to wait?

We mourn for every every life lost and we mourn for the economic damage is, well, that the country is sustaining in for people's the dreams of people's that they're seeing shattered in their in their businesses their anxieties about their their jobs.

We totally understand that if we're to a bounce back that strongly as I think we can, that we don't have a second about of this every second bad spike because that would really do three economic damage.

There was a promise, though, of a plan next week on a hint of how a new normal might look.

Face coverings will be useful both for epidemiological reasons, but also for giving people confidence they can go back to work.

Some jobs, though, have already gone for good.

Billy Hunter, Plumber lost his on Tuesday.

He's looking for work now, where he lives near bury ST Edmunds to support his partner in little girl things.

Past month, I have been furloughed and then made redundant.

The position that this is put me in has made me feel completely worthless.

It's made me worry about every little thing where I'm gonna get this money from.

I really don't have any avenues to turn down.

In that sense, I don't really know what to do.

To be honest, economic distress is one of the reasons why the opposition is pushing for answers.

But up until now, the government reply to May has Bean.

We're not going to produce a plan, so I'm glad they've changed their mind.

I'm glad that our challenges born fruit.

We will see a plan.

We'll look at it in good faith next week to see what the plan is and have discussions with the government.

Lockdowns already changed so many lives.

Andy Garrow and Milton Keynes has three kids on Stage three cancer.

His treatments on hold.

Although the NHS is meant to be opening up current virus, it's taken while resources on the operation means my daughter.

No, that's a boy.

The NHS seemed.

My life is less important, something the rate of infection may be fading for now, but a disease that emerged thousands of miles away is in one way or another for each of us already close to her.

Laura joins me now, Laura, a glimmer of hope from the prime minister, but a very cautious one.

Certainly returning.

Passing the peak of the disease is an important moment, suggesting that the government is ready to say to all of us that the infection itself, this virus is past its most aggressive phase in our country, at least for now.

But it certainly isn't the end of this story, because, of course, most immediately there are still people falling ill.

There are, of course, still families worried tonight about relatives who may be in hospital with the virus or people who are just receiving news off losing a loved one.

There are, of course, also people whose lives have been changed for the worst because of the impact off the lock down people who are worried about what the next few months might hold for them and, of course, still a worry.

Because although we are perhaps at the end off the first phase, the steps that we take to the next phase off getting through this as a country are far from certain.

The prime minister, of course, was keen to emphasize today that we did not end up in the worst case scenario that was predicted.

But there have still been many bumps in the last few weeks.

There have been things that go wrong on.

We're still in a very uncertain phase.

An exit strategy off a kind is promised to be spelt out next week.

But this is a journey of many, many miles, and passing the peak is an important step.

But only one Laura, many thanks.