Boris Johnson is said to be concerned that relatively little is known about the effect of easing restrictions on the transmission rate of the virus

Boris Johnson has told colleagues that he is very cautious about easing lockdown restrictions and that his “overriding concern” is avoiding a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The prime minister, who is recovering from Covid-19 at Chequers after several nights in intensive care, held a two-hour meeting on Friday with Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, Dominic Cummings, his most senior adviser, and Lee Cain, his director of communications.

Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, joined the call by video conference with several of the prime minister’s senior advisers, including Sir Eddie Lister, Munira Murza and Liam Booth-Smith.

Mr Johnson said that his priority was to help Britain to recover and return to what aides have described as a “new normal” after the pandemic