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'Stay at home': New lockdown for England
And he warned of "very, very difficult weeks ahead" as the country battles to reduce the spread of coronavirus, which is being driven by a new, more transmissible variant.
As vaccines continue to be rolled out, the country is in a "race against time" against the variant, Mr Gove added.
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He acknowledged that the government's new target of offering a COVID-19 jab to nearly 14 million people in the top four priority groups by the middle of February was "stretching", but stressed it was achievable.
Asked how long the lockdown could last, the Cabinet Office minister said ministers would "review the progress that we've made" on 15 February.
More from Covid-19
He added: "We hope that we will be able to progressively lift restrictions after that but what I can't do is predict - nobody can predict - with accuracy exactly what we will be able to relax and when.
"What we do know is that the more effective our vaccination programme, the more people who are protected in that way, the easier it will be to lift these restrictions."
Pressed again on a timeframe for easing restrictions, Mr Gove said: "We will keep these constantly under review but you are absolutely right, we can't predict with certainty that we will be able to lift restrictions in the week commencing February 15-22.
"What we will be doing is everything that we can to make sure that as many people as possible are vaccinated, so that we can begin to progressively lift restrictions.
"I think it is right to say that as we enter March we should be able to lift some of these restrictions but not necessarily all."
He was speaking after Boris Johnson introduced a third national lockdown in England, with people told to "stay at home" as they did during last March's first shutdown.
Schools and colleges in England are to be closed to most pupils until at least half term, Boris Johnson has announced.
The prime minister said the new lockdown had to be "tough enough" to stop the variant virus from spreading - and teaching will go online.
A-Levels and GCSEs will be cancelled, a government source confirmed to BBC News - although vocational exams will go ahead.
The National Education Union accused the government of causing "chaos".
In a television address, Mr Johnson announced the biggest changes to schools since the early days of the first lockdown in March.
'Not fair for exams'
"Because we now have to do everything we possibly can to stop the spread of the disease, primary schools, secondary schools and colleges across England must move to remote provision from tomorrow," said the prime minister.
This means a return to online learning for pupils of all ages - apart from vulnerable children and the children of key workers who can continue to go into school.
Martin Rickett
"We recognise that this will mean it's not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer, as normal," said Mr Johnson.
It is understood that vocational exams will continue, but GCSEs and A-levels will be cancelled - and that the exam watchdog Ofqual will make "alternative arrangements" for delivering results.
An attempt to produce replacement exam grades last summer turned into one of the biggest U-turns of the pandemic.
Teachers' unions accused the government of failing to react more swiftly to "mounting evidence" about Covid transmission in schools and to make preparations for remote teaching and alternatives to written exams.
'Head in the sand'
But Mary Bousted, co-leader of the National Education Union, said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson had "become an expert in putting his head in the sand".
Geoff Barton of the ASCL head teachers' union criticised ministers for having issued legal threats to keep schools open at the end of last term - and then "made a series of chaotic announcements about the start of this term".
The new term, which began on Monday for primary pupils, has only lasted a day before it has been suspended.
The prime minister said he hoped that schools would be "reopening schools after the February half term".
There have been assurances that there will be a more thorough approach to home learning than in the first lockdown last year.
The Department for Education has provided hundreds of thousands of computer devices - with the aim of supporting those without the equipment needed to work online from home.
There have also been suggestions Ofsted inspectors will play a more active role in checking on what support schools are providing to pupils in their online learning.
Universities
Universities in England had already planned a staggered return for this term - but there will now be even fewer students on campus this month.
The latest lockdown guidance says university students who are taking hands-on courses such as medicine or veterinary science should return for face-to-face lessons as planned.
These students will be expected to take two Covid tests or self-isolate for 10 days when they return.
But students on all other courses are being told not to come back to university if possible and to start their term online "until at least mid-February".
Schools and colleges in England are to be closed to most pupils until at least half term, Boris Johnson has announced.
The prime minister said the new lockdown had to be "tough enough" to stop the variant virus from spreading - and teaching will go online.
A-Levels and GCSEs will be cancelled, a government source confirmed to BBC News - although vocational exams will go ahead.
The National Education Union accused the government of causing "chaos".
In a television address, Mr Johnson announced the biggest changes to schools since the early days of the first lockdown in March.
'Not fair for exams'
"Because we now have to do everything we possibly can to stop the spread of the disease, primary schools, secondary schools and colleges across England must move to remote provision from tomorrow," said the prime minister.
This means a return to online learning for pupils of all ages - apart from vulnerable children and the children of key workers who can continue to go into school.
Martin Rickett
"We recognise that this will mean it's not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer, as normal," said Mr Johnson.
It is understood that vocational exams will continue, but GCSEs and A-levels will be cancelled - and that the exam watchdog Ofqual will make "alternative arrangements" for delivering results.
An attempt to produce replacement exam grades last summer turned into one of the biggest U-turns of the pandemic.
Teachers' unions accused the government of failing to react more swiftly to "mounting evidence" about Covid transmission in schools and to make preparations for remote teaching and alternatives to written exams.
'Head in the sand'
But Mary Bousted, co-leader of the National Education Union, said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson had "become an expert in putting his head in the sand".
Geoff Barton of the ASCL head teachers' union criticised ministers for having issued legal threats to keep schools open at the end of last term - and then "made a series of chaotic announcements about the start of this term".
The new term, which began on Monday for primary pupils, has only lasted a day before it has been suspended.
The prime minister said he hoped that schools would be "reopening schools after the February half term".
There have been assurances that there will be a more thorough approach to home learning than in the first lockdown last year.
The Department for Education has provided hundreds of thousands of computer devices - with the aim of supporting those without the equipment needed to work online from home.
There have also been suggestions Ofsted inspectors will play a more active role in checking on what support schools are providing to pupils in their online learning.
Universities
Universities in England had already planned a staggered return for this term - but there will now be even fewer students on campus this month.
The latest lockdown guidance says university students who are taking hands-on courses such as medicine or veterinary science should return for face-to-face lessons as planned.
These students will be expected to take two Covid tests or self-isolate for 10 days when they return.
But students on all other courses are being told not to come back to university if possible and to start their term online "until at least mid-February".
Boris Johnson has announced a new national lockdown for England - with people instructed to "stay at home" as they did during last March's first shutdown.
The prime minister revealed the action in an eight-minute TV address on Monday night, after being told that COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly in every part of the country due to the new coronavirus variant.
The public are being asked to follow the new rules, which have now replaced England's tiers system, immediately.
It is expected the new lockdown in England - the third time a national shutdown has been introduced - will last until the middle of February.
Mr Johnson expressed his hope that, at this point, nearly 14 million people will have all been offered the first dose of a vaccine.
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Image:England is entering a third national lockdown
From now, people across the whole country must now stay at home apart from five exceptions:
• for work, if people cannot work from home, such as those in the construction sector or key workers • to shop for necessities such as food or medicines • to exercise once per day at a local location. This can include with one other person from outside someone's household or support/childcare bubble • to provide care or help to vulnerable people • to attend medical appointments, get medical care or a coronavirus test, or to flee the threat of harm or violence.
More from Boris Johnson
All primary schools, secondary schools and colleges will move to online learning from Tuesday.
Schools will remain closed for all pupils, apart from the children of key workers or those who are vulnerable, until the February half-term.
However, nurseries can remain open while childcare and support bubbles will stay in place.
With his announcement of schools' closure coming just a day after he urged parents to send their children back to classrooms, Mr Johnson acknowledged the "inconvenience and distress" to pupils and parents.
But he defended not acting sooner - with some schools having now reopened after their Christmas holidays for just one day - by saying ministers had "been doing everything in our power to keep schools open" until this point.
Mr Johnson said the government would work with the exams regulator to put in place "alternative arrangements", as he admitted the new lockdown means "it is not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer as normal".
Students will not be able to return to universities and will be expected to study from their current residence, where possible, until mid-February.
Pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to continue takeaway or click and collect services, but the sale of takeaway alcohol will no longer be allowed.
Essential shops, garden centres and places of worship can remain open but zoos and sports facilities - including golf courses, swimming pools and tennis courts - must close.
Elite sports - such as Premier League football - will continue, as will PE lessons for those children still attending school.
Shielding will resume for those who are judged to be clinically vulnerable, with those groups being urged to stay at home as much as possible and not go to work even if they can't work from home.
They should only go outside for exercise or to attend health appointments.
Image:Schools will be closed for most pupils until the February half-term
Mr Johnson said the new coronavirus variant, judged to be between 50% and 70% more transmissible, was spreading at a "frustrating and alarming" speed.
The prime minister warned this means "you are much, much more likely to catch the virus and pass it on".
"As I speak to you tonight, our hospitals are under more pressure from COVID than at any time since the start of the pandemic," he added.
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In full: Johnson's address to the nation
As of Monday, there were 26,626 COVID patients in hospital in England - an increase of over 30% in one week and now more than 40% higher than the peak of the first wave of coronavirus infections last April.
There has also been a near 25% increase in the number of deaths in the past seven days, compared to the previous week.
But, despite the rising figures, the prime minister hailed COVID vaccines as "one huge difference" compared to England's first lockdown last spring.
He outlined plans to offer a first vaccine dose to all care home residents, over-70s, all frontline health and social care workers, and everyone who is extremely vulnerable by the middle of next month.
"If we succeed in vaccinating all those groups, we will have removed huge numbers of people from the path of the virus," he said.
"And of course, that will eventually enable us to lift many of the restrictions we have endured for so long."
The minister for vaccine deployment, Nadhim Zahawi, later tweeted the government's aim was to administer 13.9 million doses by mid-February.
In a call for national unity, Mr Johnson said people "now more than ever, must pull together".
"The weeks ahead will be the hardest yet but I really do believe that we are entering the last phase of the struggle," he added.
In a stark warning, the UK's chief medical officers said there was a "material risk of the NHS in several areas being overwhelmed over the next 21 days" without further action.
And the Welsh government announced that all schools and colleges will move to online learning until 18 January.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster - who imposed a six-week lockdown in Northern Ireland from Boxing Day - said on Monday night the "stay at home" instruction would now be put back into law, with an update on schools to come on Tuesday.
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It is the seventh day in a row that there have been more than 50,000 daily cases, while government figures also showed there have been 407 more deaths in the past 24 hours.
The new lockdown restrictions will become law in the early hours of Wednesday morning, although the public is being urged to abide by them from now.
As they did in the spring of last year, police will have powers to enforce the new lockdown with fines and dispersal orders.
The House of Commons will be recalled from its current recess to sit on Wednesday, so MPs can hear a statement from Mr Johnson and to vote on the new lockdown restrictions.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party would support the "necessary" lockdown.
"Whatever quarrels or challenges I have with the government, with the prime minister, in a sense tonight the really important thing is to say we support these measures," he told Sky News.
"We're all under a duty, I think, to do whatever we can to make them work."
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons' Speaker, urged MPs to stay away from Westminster "unless absolutely necessary" and to take part in Wednesday's debate virtually.
New polling published by YouGov on Monday suggested 79% of Britons are supportive of another lockdown for the UK, compared to 16% who are against a fresh nationwide shutdown.
Everyone in England must stay at home except for permitted reasons during a new coronavirus lockdown expected to last until mid-February, the PM says.
All schools and colleges will close to most pupils and switch to remote learning from Tuesday.
Boris Johnson warned the coming weeks would be the "hardest yet" amid surging cases and patient numbers.
He said those in the top four priority groups would be offered a first vaccine dose by the middle of next month.
All care home residents and their carers, everyone aged 70 and over, all frontline health and social care workers, and the clinically extremely vulnerable will be offered one dose of a vaccine by mid-February.
Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Johnson said all the new measures in England would last until at least the middle of February as a new more infectious variant of the virus spreads across the UK.
The PM added that he believed the country was entering "the last phase of the struggle".
Hospitals were under "more pressure from Covid than at any time since the start of the pandemic", he said.
And he reiterated the slogan used earlier in the pandemic, urging people to immediately "stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives".
At-a-glance: New rules in England
People cannot leave their homes except for certain reasons, like the first lockdown last March
These include essential medical needs, food shopping, exercise and work for those who cannot do so from home
All schools and colleges will close to most pupils from Tuesday with remote learning until February half term
Early years settings such as nurseries will stay open
End-of-year exams will not take place this summer as normal
Elsewhere, university students should not return to campuses and will be taught online
Restaurants can continue to offer food delivery, but takeaway alcohol will be banned
Outdoor sports venues - such as golf courses, tennis courts and outside gyms - must close
But outdoor playgrounds will remain open
Amateur team sports are not allowed, but elite sport such as Premier League football can continue
On Monday, the UK recorded more than 50,000 new confirmed Covid cases for the seventh day in a row.
A further 58,784 cases and an additional 407 deaths within 28 days of a positive test result were reported, though deaths in Scotland were not recorded.
As of 08:00 GMT, there were 26,626 Covid-19 patients in hospital in England, according to the latest figures.
This is a week-on-week increase of 30%, and a new record high.
Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will be contacted by letter and should now shield once more, Mr Johnson said.
Support and childcare bubbles will continue under the new measures - and people can meet one person from another household for outdoor exercise.
Communal worship and life events like funerals and weddings can continue, subject to limits on attendance.
While Mr Johnson said end-of-year exams would not take place as normal in the summer, he said alternative arrangements would be announced separately.
The House of Commons has been recalled to allow MPs to vote on the new restrictions on Wednesday.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his MPs would "support the package of measures", saying "we've all got to pull together now to make this work".
Hospital pressure forces PM's hand
Once again it is the threat to the NHS that has forced the hand of ministers.
In England there has been a 50% rise in the number of patients in hospital with Covid since Christmas day.
To put that into context, it equates to 18 hospitals being filled.
Currently around three out of 10 beds are occupied by patients with the disease.
In some hospitals it is more than six in 10.
But what is worrying ministers and NHS leaders is that the number is just going to increase.
In the spring it took nearly three weeks after lockdown for hospital cases to peak.
The last six days have seen in excess of 50,000 new infections confirmed each day across the UK - a number of these infections are next week's hospital admissions.
It is why the UK's chief medical officers were warning there was a "material risk" of some hospitals being overwhelmed if something did not change.
Level five means the NHS may soon be unable to handle a further sustained rise in cases, the medical officers said in a joint statement.
NHS Providers, which represents health service trusts, said hospitals were at a "critical point" and that "immediate and decisive action" was needed.
Announcing tougher measures in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "It is no exaggeration to say that I am more concerned about the situation we face now than I have been at any time since March last year."
A short-lived return to school
For pupils who returned for their first day of the new term at primary school on Monday, it's turned out to be an extremely short-lived visit.
Boris Johnson's announcement will see primary, secondary and further education colleges closed for at least the next six weeks, except for vulnerable and key workers' children.
It's a much bigger shift in policy than had been anticipated, even a few days ago.
Even the return date will depend on the progress in tackling the virus.
"I hope we can steadily move out of lockdown, reopening schools after the February half term," said the prime minister.
Keeping schools open was the government's most definite of red lines, a few weeks ago they were threatening councils that wanted to close them - but it's now been overtaken by the spiking lines on the Covid infection charts.
Even after the chaos of last year's replacement grades, GCSEs and A-levels are being cancelled again - with a replacement system still to be decided. Vocational exams are to continue.
For parents dreading home schooling, there are plans for it to be better supported this time - with more computer devices available and suggestions that Ofsted inspectors will check what schools are offering.
But there's no escaping that this will feel like another sudden and chaotic change of direction for schools and parents.
Some 13.9 million people are among the four priority groups who will receive a vaccine dose by about 15 February, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said.
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