People should work from home “if possible”, cabinet minister Michael Gove has said.

The latest measure was announced this morning by the Conservative MP who said there would be a shift of emphasis on the government’s coronavirus advice.

The news comes as it was announced that pubs and restaurants will need to close at 10pm from Thursday in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce the new set of measures during a briefing at 8pm today.

MORE: Pubs, bars and restaurants to close at 10pm amid Covid fears

Mr Gove said: “If it is possible for people to work from home then we would encourage them to do so.”

He added that the Government was taking “reluctant steps” with the new coronavirus measures, but added that they are “absolutely necessary”.

“There will be more details that the Prime Minister will spell out, and again, one of the points that he’ll make is that no one wants to do these things, no one wants to take these steps,” he told Sky News.

“They are reluctant steps that we’re taking, but they are absolutely necessary.

“Because as we were reminded yesterday, and as you’ve been reporting, the rate of infection is increasing, the number of people going to hospital is increasing, and therefore we need to act.”