They were to become a familiar fixture on TV screens but what did they reveal about evolving policy?
"Next slide please…" It became an everyday phrase. The official experts - Sir Chris Whitty, the UK government chief medical adviser, and Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser - became household names because of the Downing Street media briefings.
The predictions of a dramatically higher death toll and the NHS being overwhelmed spooked ministers and officials. Lockdown followed, with a new drive to suppress the virus. First ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, flanked by their chief medical officers, began their own televised briefings.
The November lockdown came and went. Ministers later argued that a circuit-breaker in September would not have made any difference. Hopes rose that some sort of a Christmas with family gatherings might be permitted. There was confirmation of a temporary easing of restrictions but there were warnings of the rapid spread of a Covid variant, since named Alpha.
But by December a new variant, Omicron, had reared its head. There were renewed predictions of a dramatic surge in hospital admissions at the busiest time for the NHS, in the depths of winter. Ministers opted not to impose new restrictions in England, unlike their counterparts in the UK's other nations.
Pubs, restaurants and shops appeared to be a lot quieter. People seemed immediately to follow his advice - it demonstrated the power of the presser.