Pressure mounts as ministers face virus without PM
With Boris Johnson out of action, his top team has been swiftly thrust into a situation that none of them could ever have predicted.
Some ministers have only been in position since the PM's Cabinet reshuffle in mid-February, while even experienced operators among them will be charting new territory as they move forward without their boss.
The message over the past 48 hours has been clear – although Dominic Raab is the de facto PM, other ministers will be expected to step up to the plate as the coronavirus crisis develops.
We saw evidence of this before Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove and Chancellor Rishi Sunak all, at some point, playing the role of national figurehead.
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In recent days discussions among ministers quickly turned from shock at the seriousness of Mr Johnson's illness, to moving forward with the carefully laid plans that were put in place a month ago to defeat the virus.
Within the Cabinet there is now a tacit understanding that even in the best case scenario, the PM is likely to be away from the frontline for weeks rather than days.
It is suggested that one of the reasons Mr Johnson's health deteriorated so drastically, is that he continued to work round the clock while suffering from severe fever and exhaustion.
The same mistake must not be made again, and once the PM is out of hospital he will be under strict doctor's orders to rest and fully recuperate before his return.
This will undoubtedly place added strain on ministers.
They are acutely aware that any perceived error in policy will be leapt on – rightly or wrongly – as evidence that Mr Johnson's absence has caused a failure in governance.
Already the pressure is mounting on several fronts.
Test
Questions are being asked over when the lockdown restrictions might be lifted, while there have been suggestions that schools could reopen after Easter, prompted largely by a report claiming the closures have had little impact on the spread of the virus.
For Mr Raab and the rest of the Cabinet, this is a moving feast. Despite the reams of scientific data available, there are no clear answers.
However, it is understood that ministers are united in continuing along the path carved out by Mr Johnson since he decided to shift away from the 'herd immunity' concept in the middle of last month.
As the death rate continues to rise, there is genuine concern that the UK could end up being one of the worst hit nations in the world, requiring restrictions to be in place for longer than the majority of other countries.
Senior ministers and the Government's medical experts are keeping a keen eye on events in some countries abroad, where death rates have dipped before rising again.
There is a general agreement that any public talk of lifting restrictions should be pushed back until after the number of cases of Covid-19 in the UK is on a significant downturn.
With Easter weekend fast approaching, ministers know that the measures in place are about to face their sternest test.
