LONDON: There is still pressure on British hospitals and the country is not yet in a position to say it can live with COVID-19, senior minister Michael Gove said on Monday.

Asked how long rapid tests would be provided for free, Gove, who is housing minister, said that they were a vital tool in curbing a pandemic that was not yet over.

"We are moving to a situation where it is possible to say that we can live with COVID and that the pressure on the NHS and on vital public services is abating," he told Sky News.

"But it's absolutely vital to recognise that we are not there yet... there will be some difficult weeks ahead."