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Presenting today's briefing was Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, and accompanying him was NHS England's National Medical Director, Prof. Stephen Powis.

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Key points from the conference:

• Government publishes vaccine delivery plan, available to read here.
  
  

• The Health Secretary says "new variant is highly contagious" and warns how much pressure it is putting on NHS hospitals right now.
  
  

• Yesterday's cases climbed to 46,196 with 32,294 patients in hospitals. Provided in the graphs below.
  
  

  

  

  

  
  
  

• We are the leading country in Europe with highest number of vaccines, having delivered 2.6 million doses to 2.3 million people so far.
  
  

• Matt Hancock quotes Prof. Chris Whitty from earlier today by repeating "we're at the worst point in this pandemic."
  
  

• "We don't rule out taking further action if it's needed" says Hancock as he warns the general public harsher restrictions could be introduced. He continued with "it is your actions now that could make a difference, stay at home and act like you have the virus."
  
  

• We're told the vaccination programme is being accelerated as much as possible to have a "Great British summer".
  
  

• The Health Secretary describes the programme as a "marathon" to get those vulnerable groups vaccinated by April and everyone else by Autumn.
  
  

• Prof. Stephen Powis takes over saying there are 13,000 more patients in hospitals since Christmas Day with this figure rising drastically daily.
  
  

• The National Medical Director finishes by reminding everyone the vaccine "cannot be seen as a free pass".
  

To read the key points from previous government coronavirus conferences click here

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