Rutland MP Alicia Kearns says the lockdown must continue and any decision to end it must be based on medical knowledge and data, and not headlines.

The MP's comments come amid media reports that say that on Thursday the government will announce an extension of the lockdown until May 7.

But employers are also increasingly concerned that a long lockdown will force the closure of many businesses and create an economic depression.

Mrs Kearns took to both Facebook and Twitter yesterday, saying she has been asked by residents what her view were on extending the lockdown.

The MP said: "I couldn't disagree more with calls to end the lockdown, and find the current preoccupation on when it will end to be unproductive and frankly unhelpful. We have not even as yet hit the peak as was projected, and our communities are only just starting to suffer the appalling effects of this virus."

Mrs Kearns continued: "We all recognise how enormously difficult this has been for our country, especially some of the more vulnerable members of our communities and those with responsibilities for providing for others, but what measures are deemed necessary one day may, or may not be, the next.

"With respect to questions about how we ease the lockdown, again we should not prejudge this. We are learning more about this virus every single day, how it spreads, how to stop it, and who it affects most. Many of the things we thought we knew a week ago are no longer the case.

"In no way should we be deciding now how the easing will take place. The Government should be planning for it as best they can behind doors, and they are, but it is only once the data tells us that we can even consider easing the lockdown, that we should formulate the plan to do so. That plan would also need to by dynamic and change day to day.

The MP also rebuked national media for its coverage, saying: "We follow the data and medicine not headlines. I have been disappointed with the "catch them out" and "make a headline" approach we have seen of late which has frankly scared many people. Headlines stating that 50,000 people would have died by yesterday for example. This is a time for level-headedness, and interrogation of the facts.

The MP added: "We must learn lessons, and with a selfless heart we must challenge ourselves now and once our country has healed to identify lessons so that we can be as effective as possible in how we protect our country tomorrow and in the longer term.

"We are starting to turn a corner, the lockdown is working. We must all remain resolute in our commitment to it if we are to save as many of our families, friends and communities as possible from this virus."