Gone is the optimistic tone of normality returning by Christmas as the scales of influence tip back from the economists to the scientists.
So the brakes have been put on. But what could come next?
In a hint at a new strategy, we now hear of the need for "trade-offs" with the chief medical officer saying the country is at the limit of what can be re-opened.
That will lead some to wonder what will need to shut down for things like schools to reopen safely.
The prime minister knows a botched reopening and painful second wave would be a tragedy on a human level and a catastrophe on a political one.
More from Covid-19
So amid a volley of incoming fire about apparent delays bringing in lockdown, the government is now unapologetic about acting rapidly and sometimes brutally.
The further easing of coronavirus restrictions in England - due to come in this weekend - has been postponed for at least two weeks, amid concerns over an increase in coronavirus cases.
Casinos and bowling alleys will remain shut, with Boris Johnson saying it was time to "squeeze the brake pedal".
Wedding receptions of up to 30 people were meant to be allowed as part of the changes but cannot yet happen.
Face coverings will be mandatory in more indoor settings, such as cinemas.
And people attending places of worship will also be among those required to wear face coverings, in a change that will be applied from next weekend.
But planned changes to guidance for people who have been shielding during the pandemic, and advice for employers, will still go ahead.
At a news conference in Downing Street, the prime minister said progress against coronavirus continues, with the daily and weekly number of deaths falling, but warned that some European countries are "struggling" to control it. The UK must be ready to "react", he said.
Highlighting the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, he added: "The prevalence of the virus in the community, in England, is likely to be rising for the first time since May."
Mr Johnson said planned reopenings for 1 August would be delayed for at least a fortnight.
That means venues such as casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks and remaining close contact services must remain closed until 15 August.
Beauty salons will also be unable to start offering treatments that involve the face, such as eyelash, eyebrow and threading treatments.
The British Beauty Council said the changes were "very disappointing for a sector that has already seen delay after delay in reopening".
Separately, face coverings will be compulsory in more indoor settings where people are likely to come into contact with people they do not know, such as museums and places of worship, from next weekend. They are already required in shops, banks, airports and other indoor transport hubs.
The prime minister said the rules for face coverings would become enforceable in law from 8 August.
Also at Friday's news conference, England's chief medical adviser warned that it might not be possible to further ease lockdown.
Asked whether it was safe for England's schools to open fully to all pupils at at times in the autumn, Prof Chris Whitty said it was a "difficult balancing act" but "we have probably reached or neared the limits of what we can do in terms of opening up society".
The "idea that we can open up everything and keep the virus under control" is wrong, he said, but it is clear that "schools are an absolute priority" for society.
However, the plan to pause shielding for the people most vulnerable to the effects of the virus will go ahead as planned from Saturday, according to the prime minister.
That means some 2.2 million people who have been self-isolating in England during the pandemic can return to work, if they cannot work from home, as long as their workplace is Covid-secure.
Guidance for employers will also change as planned from the start of August, giving employers "more discretion over how employees can work safely, whether by continuing to work from home, or attending a Covid-secure workplace", Mr Johnson said.
According to the ONS, there is "now evidence to suggest a slight increase in the number of people in England testing positive on a nose and throat swab in recent weeks".
A sample of households in England, excluding care homes and hospitals, were swabbed to test for current infection.
However there is not enough data to suggest a higher proportion of positive tests in any particular region.
The latest announcement comes within hours of new lockdown rules in parts of England, banning separate households from meeting each other inside their homes and private gardens.
The rules, which came into force at midnight, impact people in Greater Manchester, east Lancashire, parts of West Yorkshire, and in Leicester.
They also ban members of two different households from mixing in pubs and restaurants, although individual households will still be able to visit such hospitality venues.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast that the increase in transmission in the affected regions was due to people visiting friends and relatives, citing fresh data from contact tracing.
The changes come as Muslim communities prepare to celebrate Eid this weekend, and nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England - allowing people to meet indoors for the first time since late March.
Ministers have said police forces and councils will be given powers to enforce the new rules.
Areas included in announcement
Cases per 100,000 people
Are you getting married this weekend? Or were you reopening your business? How will the postponement affect you? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist.
The further easing of coronavirus restrictions in England - due to come in this weekend - has been postponed for at least two weeks, amid concerns over an increase in coronavirus cases.
Casinos and bowling alleys will remain shut, with Boris Johnson saying it was time to "squeeze the brake pedal".
Wedding receptions of up to 30 people were meant to be allowed as part of the changes but cannot yet happen.
Face coverings will be mandatory in more indoor settings, such as cinemas.
And people attending places of worship will also be among those required to wear face coverings, in a change that will be applied from next weekend.
But planned changes to guidance for people who have been shielding during the pandemic, and advice for employers, will still go ahead.
At a news conference in Downing Street, the prime minister said progress against coronavirus continues, with the daily and weekly number of deaths falling, but warned that some European countries are "struggling" to control it. The UK must be ready to "react", he said.
Highlighting the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, he added: "The prevalence of the virus in the community, in England, is likely to be rising for the first time since May."
Mr Johnson said planned reopenings for 1 August would be delayed for at least a fortnight.
That means venues such as casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks and remaining close contact services must remain closed until 15 August.
Beauty salons will also be unable to start offering treatments that involve the face, such as eyelash, eyebrow and threading treatments.
The British Beauty Council said the changes were "very disappointing for a sector that has already seen delay after delay in reopening".
Separately, face coverings will be compulsory in more indoor settings where people are likely to come into contact with people they do not know, such as museums and places of worship, from next weekend. They are already required in shops, banks, airports and other indoor transport hubs.
The prime minister said the rules for face coverings would become enforceable in law from 8 August.
Also at Friday's news conference, England's chief medical adviser warned that it might not be possible to further ease lockdown.
Asked whether it was safe for England's schools to open fully to all pupils at at times in the autumn, Prof Chris Whitty said it was a "difficult balancing act" but "we have probably reached or neared the limits of what we can do in terms of opening up society".
The "idea that we can open up everything and keep the virus under control" is wrong, he said, but it is clear that "schools are an absolute priority" for society.
However, the plan to pause shielding for the people most vulnerable to the effects of the virus will go ahead as planned from Saturday, according to the prime minister.
That means some 2.2 million people who have been self-isolating in England during the pandemic can return to work, if they cannot work from home, as long as their workplace is Covid-secure.
Guidance for employers will also change as planned from the start of August, giving employers "more discretion over how employees can work safely, whether by continuing to work from home, or attending a Covid-secure workplace", Mr Johnson said.
According to the ONS, there is "now evidence to suggest a slight increase in the number of people in England testing positive on a nose and throat swab in recent weeks".
A sample of households in England, excluding care homes and hospitals, were swabbed to test for current infection.
However there is not enough data to suggest a higher proportion of positive tests in any particular region.
The latest announcement comes within hours of new lockdown rules in parts of England, banning separate households from meeting each other inside their homes and private gardens.
The rules, which came into force at midnight, impact people in Greater Manchester, east Lancashire, parts of West Yorkshire, and in Leicester.
They also ban members of two different households from mixing in pubs and restaurants, although individual households will still be able to visit such hospitality venues.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast that the increase in transmission in the affected regions was due to people visiting friends and relatives, citing fresh data from contact tracing.
The changes come as Muslim communities prepare to celebrate Eid this weekend, and nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England - allowing people to meet indoors for the first time since late March.
Ministers have said police forces and councils will be given powers to enforce the new rules.
Areas included in announcement
Cases per 100,000 people
Are you getting married this weekend? Or were you reopening your business? How will the postponement affect you? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist.
Fans will not be allowed to attend the pilot sports events scheduled for this weekend in England after a spike in coronavirus cases, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
Spectators were due to watch the first two days of two county cricket matches, while 250 fans were at the start of the World Snooker Championship on Friday.
It was also hoped to permit 4,000 racegoers at Goodwood on Saturday.
The new restrictions on fans will be enforced until at least 15 August.
The announcement comes after general restrictions were reintroduced for people in parts of northern England.
"Pilots of larger crowds at sports venues will not take place," Johnson said at a news conference on Friday.
"I said from May we would not hesitate to put on the brakes at the slightest sign that the numbers were going in the wrong direction."
Two matches in cricket's Bob Willis Trophy starting on Saturday had been due to welcome spectators - Surrey v Middlesex at the Oval and Warwickshire against Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said: "We understand the reasons the government has made this decision, and remain ready to work with them to ensure supporters can safely return to stadiums when government advice allows.
"We are pleased the Bob Willis Trophy will still begin this weekend behind closed doors, and fans will be able to watch their teams in action through the online streams being provided."
Surrey chief executive Richard Gould said: "A lot of hard work has taken place to ensure that members and fans could return to our ground safely.
"We still hope to welcome members to the ground for future matches this summer, and we will continue to work with the ECB and the government to encourage this to happen."
At the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, it has been confirmed that no spectators will be permitted at the Crucible Theatre from Saturday.
Fans with tickets will be given a refund, or be allowed to use them next year. However, those with tickets for Friday's afternoon and evening sessions were still allowed in.
World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn told BBC Sport: "There is a chance - I'm forever the optimist - that maybe a return for the final [on 16 August] is the earliest possible opportunity.
"Congratulations to those guys who went today because they will be able to talk about this for the rest of their lives - the ultimate golden ticket."
Hearn said he had hoped the limited number of spectators could still be allowed at the Crucible, with the restrictions that had already been put in place at the venue.
"We went straight to the cabinet but they said: 'No, it applies to you as well,'" he added. "This is not the worst - the worst is the tournament doesn't happen. We'll get through this."
A statement from Goodwood racecourse said: "We are very disappointed for those who were hoping to attend tomorrow's event and for all those who have worked so hard to make it possible for spectators to be present.
"We will engage with public health authorities and the DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) over a rescheduled pilot at the earliest opportunity."
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden posted on social media that it was "very disappointing news".
"I know the huge efforts cricket, snooker and horseracing have made to welcome fans back. We'll keep working together on their safe return ASAP," he added.
Analysis
BBC sports editor Dan Roan
This will be hugely disappointing news for the events involved, and obviously very worrying for the wider sports industry, which is increasingly desperate to get paying fans back through the turnstiles to ease an unprecedented financial crisis - especially for those sports bodies dependent on matchday revenue, like English Football League clubs.
Until now, the effort to get sports back up and running after lockdown had gone relatively smoothly, with the football season resuming and now almost completed, along with other events such as Test cricket, Formula 1 and horse racing.
This then is a first major setback in the wider effort to return sport to some kind of normality.
However, crucially, I am told by Whitehall sources that the government remains keen to work with sports and Public Health England with a view to getting fans back inside venues from 1 October.
Some sports organisations - like the Premier League - would like to see that target date brought forward, but Friday's news will not have helped them win that argument.
Attendances of 20% to 40% capacity - depending on the nature of the venue - is envisaged by officials from October, and more pilots are being planned in the coming weeks.
It is simply too early to tell whether this is now unrealistic. It remains the aim but there are no guarantees.
This is a stark reminder that the nature of the pandemic means it is difficult to plan months in advance, and that officials will need to take decisive action when data shows worrying trends.
The further easing of coronavirus restrictions in England - due to come in this weekend - has been postponed for at least two weeks, amid concerns over an increase in coronavirus cases.
Casinos and bowling alleys will remain shut, with Boris Johnson saying it was time to "squeeze the brake pedal".
Wedding receptions of up to 30 people were meant to be allowed as part of the changes but cannot yet happen.
Face coverings will be mandatory in more indoor settings, such as cinemas.
And people attending places of worship will also be among those required to wear face coverings, in a change that will be applied from next weekend.
The prime minister said progress against coronavirus continues, with the daily and weekly number of deaths falling, but warned that some European countries are "struggling" to control it. The UK must be ready to "react", he said.
Highlighting the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, he added: "The prevalence of the virus in the community, in England, is likely to be rising for the first time since May."
Mr Johnson said planned reopenings for 1 August would be delayed for at least a fortnight.
That means venues such as casinos, bowling alleys, and skating rinks must remain closed until 15 August.
Indoor performances will also not resume, pilots of larger gatherings in sports venues and conference centres will not take place, and wedding receptions of up to 30 people will not be permitted.
Separately, face coverings will be compulsory in more indoor settings where people are likely to come into contact with people they do not know, such as museums and places of worship, from next weekend. They are already required in shops and indoor transport hubs.
The prime minister said the rules for face coverings would become enforceable in law from 8 August.
According to the ONS, there is "now evidence to suggest a slight increase in the number of people in England testing positive on a nose and throat swab in recent weeks".
This is based on the organisation's infection survey - taking swabs from people selected at random in homes in England.
Last week, the ONS estimated that there were 2,800 new infections each day and that one in 2,000 people - 28,000 in total - were infected in homes in England.
The planned easing of lockdown restrictions has been postponed for at least a fortnight- with face masks to become mandatory by law in all public indoor settings on August 8.
Boris Johnson told a Downing Street briefing that the decision to "squeeze that brake pedal" on changes had been taken due to coronavirusinfection numbers "creeping up" and "in order to keep the virus under control".
England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, meanwhile, warned the country had "probably reached near the limits, or the limits, of what we can do in terms of opening up society" without causing a further spike in COVID-19 cases.
It means plans due to come in to force on Saturday to reopen casinos, bowling alleys and skating rinks will not now happen until August 15 at the earliest.
In addition, indoor performances will not resume, pilots of larger gatherings in sports venues and conference centres will not take place, and wedding receptions of up to 30 people will not be permitted, as had been planned.
Advertisement
The prime minister also announced that rules around face coverings would be extended to make them mandatory in all public indoor settings, "such as museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship".
He said this measure would become enforceable in law from August 8.
More from Covid-19
"At this stage, we are not changing the rules on social contact nationally," he added, before warning a further tightening of restrictions may be necessary.
"I don't want to tell people to spend less time with their friends," he said.
"But unless people follow the rules and behave safely, we may need to go further."
Mr Whitty said: "We all know that what we have to try and do is to get to the absolute edge of what we can do in terms of opening up society and the economy without getting to the point where the virus starts to take off again.
"We have probably reached near the limits, or the limits, of what we can do in terms of opening up society."
It comes after new rules announced overnight saw separate households banned from meeting indoors from today, in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News those new restrictions were "absolutely necessary", adding: "When you face a pandemic like this, it is important to move quickly if that's what needed."
It followed the UK recording its highest daily total of COVID-19 cases for more than a month.