Deaths from coronavirus in the UK reach 100 as schools shut from Friday

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a few schools had already locked their gates like this.
Primary school in heart Future closed today for a deep clean because of two cases of Corona virus.
Many others were seeing falling attendance of staff and pupils.
Now the whole school system is being shut down.
The prime minister is now daily crisis press conference that the course of the virus meant this had to happen now, looking at the curve of the disease, looking at where we are now, we think now that we must apply downward pressure further downward pressure on that upward curve by closing the school so I can announce today.
And Gavin Williamson is making a statement now in that in the House of Commons that after school's shut their gates from Friday afternoon, they will remain closed for most pupils for the vast majority of pupils until further nature's.
The reason for this is because of the effect it could have just to knock down further the transmission, the put some delay into the system, put some breaks into the system off the transmission of this disease to bring it down to protect those people who might get the much more serious version and end up in intensive care on a ventilator.
Some schools will be kept open to look after the Children.
Those providing vital service is during the crisis, like n hs and care workers, police officers, supermarket delivery drivers and others.
We therefore need schools to make provisions for the Children of these key workers who would otherwise be forced to stay home.
And they also need to look after the most vulnerable Children.
He promised digital food tokens for those on free school meals.
Schools could remain closed for months, way beyond the exams that start this May.
But when it comes to kids in their and their exam qualifications, we will make sure that they are not impeded.
Their progress is not impeded as a result of the decisions were having to take now about their schools.
So they will get.
We will make sure that in time they get the qualifications they need.
I don't want to go indeed about when and how those qualifications will be administered, but it will be done fairly, Andi, in order to protect their interests.
Exactly what happens is work in progress is the government has no idea when schools could reopen just another reason.
It's been so tint to press the button across the world.
More than 850 million Children had already been sent home from school is part of the international response to covert 19 in Europe.
Britain was almost the last country not to have taken that measure until this afternoon.
It's important to stress, and this is really critical.
It's not because schools are dangerous places for Children.
They're not.
Children have a very mild or asymptomatic version of this disease in many cases, so they are the least at risk.
It's also not the dangerous place for teachers.
The reason for this is because of the effect it could have just to knock down further the transmission.
The put some delay into the system, put some breaks into the system off the transmission of this disease to bring it down to protect those people who might get the much more serious version and end up in intensive care on a ventilator.
The clampdown could tighten again soon in London, where the disease is spreading much faster.
The capital could come under special controls within days.
Scotland's first minister hinted it how different rules could come in for different parts of the country.
We knew London is ahead of the rest of us, so we may see at more stringent measures than even those that we have a known so far being taken.
But they will not necessarily be taken in all parts of the country.
At the same time, the prime minister was asked if he could deploy legal powers to stop people in London moving around freely.
We do not rule out because it would be quite wrong to do so.
We do not roulade taking further on dhe faster measures in due course.
Prime Minister's questions instead of the usual packed chamber this'll weekend.
These were told to stay away unless they were going to get a question.
Jeremy Corbyn said The government help for people with mortgages announced yesterday should be followed by help for those in the rented sector.
Will the prime minister now confirm that the government's emergency legislation will protect private renters from eviction?
He's making serious, very powerful points on dhe.
I can indeed confirmed that we will do way will be bringing forward devastation to protect private renters from from eviction, that is, that is one thing we do.
But it's also important as we legislate that we do not simply pass on the problem.
The government promised an emergency law banning new evictions from social housing or private sector rentals for the duration of the crisis.
M.
P's asked the chancellor if the measures he was promising toe save jobs might include sending money to companies who currently paid national insurance employer's contributions, reversing the tax in a give away.
Some of the tax levers that you mentioned where the benefit of them is obviously scale on.
You can move at scale.
It's a literal worst on at speed, but it is slightly more difficult to be targeted.
But we are looking at every conceivable tool at our disposal.
Back in the Commons chamber, one Tory MP asked how the N hs would choose who should get treatment.
It only had one a cute bed, but many more in need of it.
Given what's unfolding in northern Italy on the very real prospect off our brilliant N.
H s staff being overwhelmed in a matter off weeks.
What age and co morbidity criteria being drafted that will govern access to intensive care and to ventilators.
Well, Mr Speaker, he raises a very important point, But this is one that is not unknown to the medical profession on.
We will be relying on the clinical decisions off of those medical professionals.
A grim face for a grim dilemma.
The N HS fears could be about to be played out across the country if behavior doesn't change drastically on dhe fast.
Joining me now is Kevin Courtney, who leads the U.
K's biggest union of teachers and education workers, the any U from Westminster.
I'm joined by the shadow Education Minister Angela Rainer on via the Internet from his Lester share constituency, the conservative MP on Drew, Britain.
We did try to speak to a government minister, but no one was free to talkto us.
Kevin Courtney first.
Are you pleased that the government has taken this action that you have long been calling for?
So we're not pleased about the country being in this situation in general, but we have been pressing the government to give us the data, the modeling, because it it seemed odd that our country wasn't closing schools when others have.
So we we think it's the right decision.
We think It's the right decision based on the spread of the disease to try and slow that down.
It is a real strain on parents who are trying to work from home.
Go out toe work.
Still sit in some cases.
Obviously, Onda, we don't know how long it's gonna go on for How long should this law?
Well, that's not a question for a teacher.
Union Leader on education Union leader It's a question for the Met for the medal.
For the medical scientists, that's the only way we're gonna know.
It depends on how the how the disease spreads.
We're hoping that these government measures will slow the spread.
But I have to say that I think it's much better that we now have a planned closure than the chaotic closure that was developing this week.
We had so many teachers who were having toe self isolate because of government regulations on then teachers who were told that if they had asthma or C o, P.
D.
Or Parkinson's disease or HIV, that they had to stay home for 12 weeks, it was just becoming chaotic.
Well, the other chaos was over.
What was gonna happen to the exams now canceled.
But how on earth grade's gonna be awarded fairly to this whole generation of Children?
No.
Well, there is a real problem with that.
It is It is a difficulty.
But again, it is the right decision, because the peak exam season would be the same as everybody's guess about the peak virus season, you know, so that lots of Children would have been in situations where they couldn't go to school where they'd miss revision time because they were ill or isolated or missing the exams themselves, their staff missing the exams.
So it's the right decision by the government that we have been calling for you on that.
Yeah.
How How you gonna ward the great?
So we think talking with we talked with the minister today.
That proposal they're working up is that we use teacher assessment.
No, uh, as off now, how teachers ranked their peoples as off.
Now, wait.
There's more detail to talk through on that, but I think that will have to be on that basis.
Yes.
Now there is part of the exam system that has just no negative implications whatsoever.
The fact that the sats exams have gone from primary schools.
There is no downside of that.
They are completely unnecessary test.
They would obviously do nothing this year to rank schools because it would be completely random.
Which Children are there, So that's got no down.
So did a lot of parents do, like having the SATs to choose which schools to go to?
But I take your point.
Kevin Cornea must leave it there and turn now to our other guests.
Andrew Bridget on Under the rain in there 100 region Should this have happened sooner?
The unions of impressing it pressing for this for several days.
But I think the government the right, This is about timing.
They've done it earlier.
People would have been using them of beating the history around this parking.
What it does.
The government actually determined that on the spur of the vial clear that used to protect the law over well being of the most humbly ask dieting.
And it's really important that all of the public, the vast majority of us who are going to get through this with a very, very mild symptoms, if any at all that we change our aid.
Those to protect those most vulnerable citizens.
Okay.
Angela Raina.
How long should schools be closed?
Because a lot of parents desperately trying to make ends meet will be very worried about this when they well, I think it's a very worrying time for parents and carriers across the UK at the moment, and school should be close for a long as it takes and what the experts say, and it should be decided by what's in the public health interest on Do you know, it's very important.
I welcome the statement that the minister made today.
I've been pushing for them to do that.
I think it's the responsible thing to do.
But there's a crucial thing here.
The most vulnerable Children in our society need to ensure that the poverty that we're seeing across the UK that these Children are not left isolated without the support they need and the family's crucially are not plunged into poverty or into a situation where they cannot afford to feed on to clove and to look after they're young people.
There's some big questions that need to be answered on.
I'm sure the secretary of state will be continuing to work with me to make sure that we support our citizens through this difficult time.
Do you support vulnerable Children still being allowed to go to school?
Yes, I absolutely support that.
I think it's really crucial that we look after the most vulnerable Children on.
I know that it's a very worrying time for a lot of parents, including those parents who now we're gonna be worrying about how they look after their Children.
Through this process on, the government still has to come forward with things like, for example, the voucher scheme offer free school meals.
How's that going to be costed?
Because school meals are less will be for unit price currently in the schools.
Where is if it's individually, are different scheme across different schools, then that's going to be a challenge some of our most vulnerable and disabled Children.
If their school closes, how will they still get the provisions that they're entitled to in the support that those those parents need on the caress parents and carrots, who have you know, some of these concerns around underlying health conditions?
How can we make sure that they're supported on single parents if they come down with the disease?
How do we support them in making sure that they can look after their Children as well.
Andrew, version.
You had suspected Corona virus symptoms.
Have you yet had your test?
Now I haven't.
I'm the end tomorrow of my self isolation period.
But I had a ll the symptoms.
I'm sure I've had it.
Reiterate what the prime minister said earlier how important it is now that we have a test to serve test for the antibody.
So those of us who believe we are immune can know that we are.
We can get on with our lives, get the economy going again and also help those who are in need would absolutely be game changer.
Because I actually think this virus has been around rather longer than we think it has on a lot of people.
I'm speaking to think they had a mild case of it some weeks ago.
If we could actually determine who's now already had the virus, it would be a huge help to everybody.
Andrew Bridge in and Angela Raina on Kevin Courtney in the studio.
Thank you both very much, Jackie.
Now the U.
K's big supermarket chains of introducing restrictions on what customers can buy From tomorrow, shoppers will be allowed a maximum of three of any single item in an effort to stop the shelves from emptying.
But it's huge.
Queues of trucks form on the continent because of Corona virus health checks.
Keeping the supply chain flowing here is more vital than ever, our business and global trade correspondent Paul McNamara reports, queuing out the door and along the streets.
Outside some stores, the shelves that are already bear stripped by panicked buyers, pharmacists and supermarkets say there is no need.
There is enough supply, but many shoppers aren't listening.
And as of tomorrow, Sainsbury's ASDA and Tesco will stop customers by more than three off any single item.
This is rationing not by government but rationing by companies whose business it is in normal times to sell as much as they can.
And it's rationing that many shoppers welcome.
I think it's very fair because, you know, sometimes you see trolley loads of stuff, it's ridiculous.
I mean, I should have done it from the beginning.
Not now.
If you think about it, I mean people going out by stuff.
It's leaving vulnerable people without nothing.
I think it's a bloody nightmare, Yeah, honestly, it's, um, for May.
I don't have the money to be going out and buy in massive bug loads of stuff on.
Do you know, I've got a seven month old baby and I had to try for supermarkets.
Get baby.
Look there any checks at the board meeting for this haulage firm?
There is only one topic of conversation.
Things are different in different borders, unless certain itself to create a scene.
The latest polls Europa handle AH 100 lorry crossings a day to and from Europe.
It's a key player in the nation supply team transporting manufacturing goods, consumer products and food that ends up in our supermarkets.
This is one of the thousands of warehouses across the nation that keeps our shops stopped here, though there's no apparent shortage off cooking ingredients off cleaning for drugs.
Summer up there, there is dry pastor and lots of it.
The problem, the bosses here say, isn't supply in the system, its demand at the checkouts.
People are panicked buying that is clearing the shelves.
That's spreading a shortage.
Obviously it takes time to replenish those guards and get them back into the shops.
But that issue is purely coming from panic buying.
It's not coming from any issues in the supply chain, but there will be lots of people sitting at home saying, Come on, of course you're gonna say that this is your business.
Well, no, not really.
I mean, that's just the reality of the situation.
There are a lot of restrictions that coming into place now about people traveling across borders.
What are you seeing?
What your driver's seeing across board.
But some borders, they're having temperature checks.
Come on.
Dhe fire is, you know, some modest amount of disruption around those things.
But broadly speaking that you know, there is no restriction on the movement of trucks around Europe.
No restrictions.
But additional health checks across one German Polish border last night caused these delays for several hours.
No bother, says the industry drivers and their supplies may take a little longer, but they are on their way.
So some problems with traffic on the continent.
But here there, that's a constant flow of goods into the country is still flowing right here.
Good being unloaded right now, they will be all through the night.
But what it's business is normal here.
That is not the case.
The thousands of other companies across the nation yesterday chancellor announced hundreds of billions of pounds to stop companies going to the wall.
That's all backed up by the Bank of England.
I spoke to the governor, the new governor, there this morning.
He reiterated the chancellor's point that he will do whatever it takes, even when I pressed him about airlines, some of whom have said they will need billions of pounds themselves.
But I started by asking him, Just how bad is the financial crisis we're facing?
Well, we haven't put a number on it because it actually does so much uncertainty that I think it would be difficult and, you know, somewhat misleading, Frankly, do that.
What?
What we do clearly see is that there is a very sharp downturn.
Unsurprisingly, so are we literally in the situation that we're even the forecasters at the Bank of England simply just don't know how bad this is gonna be.
Well, we're talking very, very closely to epidemiologists because, you know, we're trying to work out a deal, sort of.
You know, we were lying there actually skills and expertise to work out the path of this thing and then translate that into effects on the economy.
That's not something that economic forecasters does in normal times, a cz part of their role.
So we're having to adapt to that.
So all of that, of course, under Alliance, a degree of uncertainty we're facing.
But of course, what follows from that is the need to be to be very decisive in terms of what we do.
But really, we simply don't know what we're having to.
We're having to take steps which are not based on what you might call precise quantitative sizing and forecasting.
But let me be very clear.
It would of course be a mistake to therefore say we're not going to take any action before we can do that.
That's that.
That would be the wrong things.
Critical mistakes that we are acting were acting on what I call the best analysis we have.
But I would say Does that mean we've gotta sort of precise forecast of how this is gonna play for the economy?
No, we don't.
You are underwriting a vast value of lions, but it doesn't actually address the problem of companies needing a heck of a lot of cash.
Right now.
They're airlines saying if they don't get huge amounts of money in their accounts by May, they're gonna go.
But let me say two things that first of all, there's a whole package of measures clearly which the chances announced in which we've announced a big part off.
It's not just layers.
I mean the chances announced a lot of measures.
That's right on, of course, a lot of measures, which is that support companies.
But that is a port employment sport, the people of this country.
But those big fans, they're only eligible for the lions.
They need cash right now.
Well, that's why we're moving very quickly.
Some of the lanes are for £5 million.
Three lines.
That's a drop in the ocean.
Well, what What we announced yesterday doesn't have a limited.
So are you.
Are you preparing then?
To give the airlines tens of minutes found was what I was needed frankly on.
There will obviously be very close discussions government on us, with people like the airlines to say What is it that's needed?
But what we've been a chance for announced yesterday, very importantly is it's their supporters there.
You're only a couple of days on the job.
What's going on is beyond the comprehension, often or fly.
People are scared of you about this.
People losing their lives up.
Well, of course, we're in emergency.
I'm sad for that.
What we are doing, what we will do it.
The bank open, and I can assure people they will have our full focus, full effort on on providing a lot tools that we can do to support their needs.
Are you worried what we're facing?
Great uncertainty.
So course you know we have to meet that challenge.
We have to meet that.
We have to think What what are the best steps we can do to meet the needs of the people of this country?
Because it's understandable that were it the new governor of the Bank of England there?
Let's go back to our political editor, Gary Given, who earlier spoke to the chief secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barkley, about the money the government has promised to support the economy against the impact of the Corona virus.
Gary, that's right, I did, because although the attention has inevitably switched schools today around here in Westminster, the economy is reeling out there and people are hurting very badly and their giant questions being asked about whether the government is really addressing right problem here, maybe reaching into the wrong drawer in some of the measures they've been bringing out.
They've been bringing out more measures today.
They're promising stuff on how saving employment saving jobs.
We don't know the exact detail of that, yet they don't know the details.
They're writing stuff at speed and it is massive stuff.
And I started when I sat down and talked to Steve barking G Sector to the Treasury by asking him whether, for instance, the 330 1,000,000,000 in loans for business that's being announced was itself may be the wrong solution for the extraordinary problems we face.
Well, the package yesterday was very well received by leading business groups.
On it reflects a key ask of government, which is how do we provide a bridge for viable businesses, businesses that were successful before the Corona virus and businesses that will be successful after we've dealt with the Corona virus and how do we get them through this difficult period and the key challenge for is liquidity the cash flow challenge through the nets coming month.
So so much why we announced that the budget at loans of it to 1.2 million.
We've gone further yesterday by increasing those loans to five million on it.
And this is a direct ass that was made offers by the business community.
There's an awful lot of companies out there that aren't suffering liquidity issues.
It solves they actually think they're going under.
They're not gonna fill in a loan application for Well, this is why it's part of a wider, coordinated action at working with the Bank of England, who have also, in parallel taken a number of steps to support business.
Some people say these the sort of measures you do if you were approaching a short term crisis, if you were trying to help people over three months issue.
But this is longer, isn't it?
Well, this is part of a continuum off measures.
So we announced £12 billion package within the budget, part of a wider 30 billion off fiscal stimulus to the economy.
We went further is you say yesterday with the 330 billion off loans, but there's no imposition on the business is to hold on to their employees.
Is it the keys?
How do we support businesses?
Is the best way that they could take the money and lay people off?
That's the water.
That is not what businesses want to do.
Businesses want some of my feelings as we come through this, we are going to get through this challenge and the businesses will value their stuff.
Want to be able to then grow.
His business is as we come through the Challenger crew survivors, and that's why it could be a year, 18 months longer.
What is part of a package of measures, and let's say this is a coordinated approach.
It's not just what the government itself is doing is the measures were also taking with the Bank of England.
Tell me a bit about the talk to having the trade unions and employers about employment protection.
Could could you consider there perhaps, like the Danish government has done a great big subsidy that basically pays 75% of salaries up to a certain cap?
Or or could it be that you stop charging national insurance to employers were working with the unions were working to Lenny and we're looking at a range of measures and we're in discussions with the trade unions.
And business is to look at one is the best targeted way.
Just about the best way.
That's a sport.
People is by ensuring they can keep their job.
Ah, now this tree supporting businesses in order to do so as you noticed, actually, sick Bay's isn't even 1/5 of average weekly earnings.
And an awful lot of employers pay just Secretary sick about that.
Firstly, a large number of employees actually go beyond statutory sick.
So it is the case.
In many instances, people get more than that, but part of it is also making it quick.
It is about 30% so pay more s over there.
But part of it is also about making it quicker access, which is why we've done that.
But one is also gonna watch the bird and on business themselves who pay structure so you might not be able to do anything about that.
We're looking at a range of measures were discussing with trade union greets with businesses on brothers As to what is the right way to support for months For years we've talked about nothing but Brexit.
And now this new extraordinary crisis has come along and tout towers over it.
Surely you're not going to stick to the deadline, which happens to be the end of this year.
You're going to extend the transition.
The system down there in Whitehall can't cope with anything else.
Meetings got happen.
You can't inflict another shock on business when it's had the shock of his life.
And, you know, the trade negotiators are not part of David is no.
People have these discussions in terms of that, So So that's, Ah, different piece of work.
You can't rule out the idea that Brexit extension.
No way I can't see anything.
So we're committed to the timescale is it is not madness that way.
So Kistane, What we're focused on is getting the right response to the virus.
Well, let's recap on some of the other news on Carina virus today.
A prisoner in Manchester has tested positive for Covert 19 the first in the UK to do so, and he's currently in hospital.
13 other prisoners and members of staff will put into isolation as a proportion.
Emergency legislation is being introduced to suspend new evictions from social or private rented accommodation.
The rules when the landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least three months so no one could be forced out of their home.
And on top of the changes, landlords will be given extra protection, too, with the three month mortgage payment holiday announced yesterday.
Extended toe biter Let mortgages at the end of the Corona virus period.
The government say they expect landlords and tenants toe work together to establish an affordable repayment plan.
Jackie.
Well, joining me now are the deputy general secretary of the Trades Union Congress.
Pull Novak on Edwin Morgan, who's director of policy at the Institute of Directors.
Thanks very much for joining us.
Edwin Morgan.
First we heard the chief secretary to the Treasury there say this is a bridge for viable businesses, but we know that many, many businesses feel then in danger right now.
Has isn't enough.
Is it the right help have been you absolutely right.
A lot of business.
Do you really feel on the edge of the moment?
That's what we're hearing from from our members.
So the measures were substantially increased by the chancellor.
But there's there's a lot more than is gonna need to be done, particularly Gary mentioned employees.
National insurance, Other kind of tax holidays or support for employment is going to be needed, as as the measures also ran popping and businesses are more more effective.
So this reverse national insurance were effectively employers.
They're paid to employ people you'd like to see that it just reduces the cost up front cost of employing people.
That makes it easier to keep them all, which is what businesses want to do.
Pull.
No.
But we heard the chief secretary to the Treasury say that supporting workers to keep to stay in their jobs is best done by supporting business.
Has enough been done for workers?
Do you think?
Well, I think what we've seen is a package of support from the chance of that has provided that support for businesses and rightly so.
But what we really need now is a targeted packages support that's gonna protect people's jobs on live records.
We need to do everything we can government employers, unions working together to avoid redundancies and layoffs, and I think we need to send a message.
It doesn't matter where, whether you're working in an airport or report, the government isn't gonna stand by and see you lose your job because of this public health crisis so absolutely vital that we work together to get the right package of support that will prioritize people's jobs and lively hoods.
Edwin Morgan The problem is the measures work.
Is this bridge this idea for a bridge in the short term?
But there's no guarantee this will be short term.
Oh, absolutely.
I mean, nothing ever was expecting it to be considerably longer term than that.
The loans are useful component, absolutely making it easier for firms to get that finance.
But it's it's only if you feel that you can take on alone lobster lots of companies feeling that they're slightly on the edge anyway.
It's actually quite a risk for them, and, I mean not just in terms of, well, the business go under, but also as if you're the director of a company you're taking in Kuala personal liability.
If you are continuing to trade while you're insolvent or taking on alone and you might still go, but also there's no guarantee that they'll pass on that loan to keep workers invest in work.
I think the message we're getting from members is very much that they are prioritizing their stuff and they will do everything they can to keep the modern.
I don't think that's so much the issue.
I think it's more that the loan is itself a risk.
Cash grants, which are in place now for resell leisure hospitality, are going to have to be extended to more sections of the economy just to keep some firms afloat.
Well, Novak, of course, one of the big issues.
This is about statutory sick pay £94 a week.
Currently, can your work and survive on that?
I don't think any work it can survive on that.
We pulled 2000 of our members and they were very clear.
Over half them said they just won't be ableto meet the basic bills.
The rent the mortgage though the household costs never mind anything.
L.
So the level of statutory sick paint has to rise.
There are far too many people who are who are eligible to stature to sick pay because they believe below the threshold or they're employed in a different way.
So we need sick pay for everybody at work, and we need to build on the good examples where unions, UN employees.
I've where together to make sure people get a fair deal so that they can look after the public health, look after their families but also not lose out financially.
We've done lots of agreements with employers to make sure that people who after self isolate or who are who are ill, don't lose out financially.
But ultimately, the government will also need to step up to the plate as well and make sure that we do have sick pay for all so that nobody is having to make that choice between looking after their health and the health of those around them or go into work because you can't afford not.
Presumably, you and other employees would agree with that.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think this is such unprecedented circumcised.
Absolutely everyone has to pull together.
Just answer to Paul's point.
Self important self.
The self employed is a whole other area, which is no governed, of course, by theory, agents for employers and allowing something that beans that they can get probably an elevated level based on the average earnings over a certain period as has been done on the country's would be sensible in the circumstance.
Because you accept that £94 a week is just not enough for people to live on.
Exactly.
Is this is protracted.
Goes on quite a long time, and it's just the economy needs a lot of support in the moment and for the foreseeable.
Well, Nowak today the moves on protecting renters from being evicted.
Presumably you welcome that absolutely.
And I think it's going to be part of a wider package of measures that needed to give people a financial security.
But every day brings a new challenge.
So we've heard the news today that schools are gonna close, that we're gonna need support for working parents as well to make sure that they can take time off toe look after their Children.
We've called on the government to again guarantee that no one will lose out because of that, and they will have to subsidize employees.
Unfortunately, there is no no cost option on these sorts of things.
We're facing unprecedented times.
Therefore, we need unprecedented measures.
The Chancellor has said he will do whatever it takes.
I think the government hopefully will live up to that.
And certainly unions want to work together with employees with governments to make sure we protect everybody in our communities and working people in the family's.
Finally, to Edmund Morgan, the governor of the Bank of England, says today, Firm should not be firing people.
They should look for help.
Are you telling your members to think twice before firing?
Start?
Absolutely.
We know is very much the message we hear from our members that they do not want to lay off staff.
Actually, if you look back to 2008 companies really tried where possible, to keep people on for as long as possible on way.
Expect they will do the same.
It's just they need support everyone needs to work together on it's gonna be pretty bumpy.
Edwin Morgan Poole.
No, back.
Thank you very much for talking to us today, Kathy.
Thanks, Jackie.
We're returning to health matters on the virus now, and the World Health Organization urged countries again today to test a ll suspected cases.
The Prime Minister here announced that tests will be increased to 25,000 day up from the 10,000 n HS England promised just last week.
The extra testing comes after weeks of pressure from doctors and nurses on the front line.
I should told reports who's being tested and how many today, the government said.
This will massively scale up our testing capacity in the weeks ahead so that we hit 25,000 test today and that the daily press conference, the chief scientific adviser says they're also looking into the types of tests they're providing.
So to time to test how important the test to say.
Have you got the active virus?
And that's being rapidly scaled up by public health England.
And that's crucially important, knows actively got it at the moment.
The 2nd 1 is you allude to is the antibody test, which tells you whether you've had it on whether you've now got antibodies against it.
Andi, that's progressing very far tests that could be like the's we exclusively filmed at this center last week where they made them.
But N.
H s workers are still not being reassured that they will definitely be tested.
A junior doctor who has a minor cough has a petition that's been signed nearly 900,000 times.
As they're likely to be confronted with a large amount of cases very soon, they feel vulnerable.
Staff need to know that they can be routinely tested in a rapid way to ensure that if there are negative, they can do what they do best.
But testing is just one part of fighting this protective clothing is another.
With that in mind, we've asked doctors again today whether they had actually received any personal protective equipment on again.
We're hearing stories that inadequate equipment is provided, that the equipment that is provided is out of date and that in certain circumstances a new date label has been added covering the previous one.
Department of Health and Social Care say protective equipment can sometimes be relabeled.
Andi is appropriate for use, but there are still many in this country who wants to know if they have covert 19.
There are reports that more and more people are buying tests from private care providers that it came back positive.
It's after celebrities who appear not to meet with strict criteria for testing are appearing on social media with their positive results that the clinic here on Harley Street, which is offering Corona virus test privately, the £375 now we spoke to the doctors offering these tests.
He told us he was too busy to come outside and speak on camera, but that he's been inundated with enquiries.
But there's been criticism if there are private tests available while he's goingto all frontline workers who are battling Corona virus.
This is something I've been really frustrated about because I'm talking to health workers who are in covert awards and they're saying I can't get testing But they were hearing on the news of celebrities being tested quite quickly and I've been trying to understand why is this?
It's not fair and other countries are showing that actually, for a certain amount of time, it's appropriate to take over private facilities and private resources toward towards the larger public, especially health workers, and I saw I think that's the steps we should be taking right now.
There's still some missing detail from the government about who will get these new tests and when.
But for the frontline workers, they're clear.
They want to know if they can get back to helping patients without the risk of infecting them.