The British public should expect "very socially disruptive" restrictions until a coronavirus vaccine or effective drug treatment is ready, which is unlikely to happen this year, the government's chief medical adviser has said.

Professor Chris Whitty said there were two options for exiting the coronavirus crisis: first, a "highly effective vaccine", or second, "highly effective drugs" against Covid-19.

"Until we have those, and the probability of having those in the next calendar year are incredibly small, and I think we should be realistic about that, we're going to have to rely on other social measures, which of course are very socially disruptive as everyone is finding at the moment... it's going to take a long time."