Ministers have finally revealed a long-demanded “exit strategy” from the coronavirus lockdown with a plan to recruit an army of 18,000 people to trace and isolate infected people – allowing restrictions to be eased, they hope.

Five weeks after the World Health Organisation urged all nations to “test, test, test” – a plea rejected by the UK at the time – it was announced that the mass contact tracing programme would begin “in a matter of weeks”.

For the first time, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, drew a direct connection between community testing and hopes that the shutdown of the economy and society can be softened in the months to come.

“Testing, tracking and tracing, done effectively, can help to suppress the transmission in a way that allows you to have lesser social distancing rules,” he told the Downing Street press conference.

The move was greeted with relief by Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary and a leading voice demanding mass testing in the community, rather than simply in hospitals and of NHS and care workers.

“I have been pressing for concrete action on contact tracing but today Matt Hancock has delivered,” he tweeted.

“With 18,000 people being recruited – alongside widespread testing – we have a clear exit route from the current lockdown and our approach comes much closer to global best practice.”

However, Mr Hancock – bruised by the likely failure to carry out 100,000 daily tests by his deadline of the end of April – was careful not to set a strict target for the new programme getting underway.

It was announced as:

Coronavirus: London on lockdown Show all 29 1 /29 Coronavirus: London on lockdown Coronavirus: London on lockdown A man walks down a deserted Camden High Street Photos Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Goodge Street Station is one of the many stations closed to help reduce the spread Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown An empty street in the heart of Chinatown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown People in masks in Chinatown a day after the lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A near-empty Piccadilly Circus during the first week of lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Sonja, my neighbour, who I photographed while taking a short walk. It was nice to briefly chat even from a distance Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A couple sit on the empty steps of the statue Eros in Piccadilly Circus Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Making sure I stay two-meters apart – D’Arblay Street, Soho Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A mannequin behind a shop window. UK stores have closed until further notice Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A notice displayed on a shop window in Camden Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown As part of the lockdown, all non-essential shops have been ordered to close.Image from Camden High Street Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A skateboarder wearing a mask utilises his exercise allowance in the Camden area Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Communities have been coming together in a time of need Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A woman stands alone in a deserted Oxford Street. Up until a few weeks ago, on average, half a million people visited the street per day Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A couple walk hand in hand down a street in Soho, a day before the stricter lockdown was announced Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown During the first week of March, shoppers focused on stockpiling necessities ahead of a countrywide lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Many supermarkers are operating a queuing system to make sure only a limited amount of customers are allowed in at anyone time Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown ‘Stay Safe’ – Curzon cinemas are temporarily closed under the new measures Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Pubs, restaurants and bars were ordered to shut as part of the lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Camden High Street There are fears that coronavirus could lead to permanent closure of struggling shops Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Camden Town is eerily silent on a normal working day Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Shops and supermarkets ran out of hand sanitisers in the first week of the lockdown. As we approach the end of the second week most shops now have started to stock up Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Empty streets around Soho Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A noticeboard on Camden High Street urges the public to stay at home Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Camden High Street, one of London’s busiest tourist streets turns quiet Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Thriller Live confirmed its West End run ended in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Empty and eerie Soho streets after stricter rules on social distancing announced Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A woman pauses for a cigarette on Hanway Street, behind Tottenham Court Road Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A man steps outside onto Hanway Street, that sits behind what is usually a bustling retail hub Angela Christofilou

* Essential workers, including supermarket workers, bus drivers and teachers, and their household members were told that, from tomorrow, they will be able book a test on the gov.uk website – potentially benefiting 10 million staff if the rest of the UK follows England.

* Continuing problems with the current testing programme were laid bare – with only 23,560 carried out on Wednesday, less than half the capacity of 51,000.

* London was described as “two or three weeks” ahead of other parts of the country – with Manchester and Liverpool now the focus of the pandemic, according to a Health Service Journal analysis.

* “New and better” blood tests were promised – not requiring the chemical reagents that have been in short supply.

Mr Hancock said the 18,000 track-and-tracers would include 3,000 clinicians and public health specialists, but declined to say they would be ready for the next review of the lockdown, due on 7 May.

He sought to deflect criticism of delay, arguing he had had to wait until the pandemic had peaked, saying: “Critically, test, track and trace works more effectively when the rate of new cases is lower.

“So, the lower the rate of new cases, the more effectively you can keep it down using test, track and trace rather than having to use heavier social-distancing measures.”

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s shadow health secretary, criticised “confusion” at the heart of government, pointing out the deputy chief medical officer, Jenny Harries, had dismissed the idea only days ago.

And he said Mr Hancock had to be held to his original pledge, saying: “We were promised 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month. Not testing capacity at 100,000.