With 4,000 cases a day and thirteen million people affected by local restrictions, Britain is facing tougher times.
Confirmation of the government's dilemma and anxiety to prepare the way for changes was the decision to allow the two chief advisers to give a press conference on their own.
The outcome was predictable; a sombre presentation of figures - the inevitable worst case scenario - and a dire warning of the result of easing back.
They were like a reconnaissance party sent out to estimate the dangers ahead, with the generals to make the decisions.
And that is what the government is doing today.
Michael Gove went on air early to announce new restrictions including a 10pm curfew for pubs - late night drinking being blamed for the surge of cases - and an about-turn, telling people to work from home.
More orders are coming this evening when the prime minister 'speaks to the nation', always a cause for concern.
The backdrop to the latest setback is the continuing failure to solve the testing problem and people ignoring the safe distance rules - estimated at 15 to 20 percent.
A plan to introduce a two-week lockdown at half term as a 'circuit break' is being resisted, with even the cabinet divided as with the pubs curfew on which the government has conceded
The prime minister and health secretary for England have stressed that we are at the tipping point and that more drastic measures must be taken.
After a meeting yesterday between the first ministers of the devolved countries and the prime minister, it was at last agreed that they should work in unison and not make up their own rules that has caused confusion.
The global situation is just as complicated with some countries, including Spain and France, even worse placed than Britain and others, like Australia, reporting far fewer deaths despite a second wave.
All of this is in keeping with the whole pandemic experience; continuing uncertainty about where coronavirus is leading us and what can be done to contain it.
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