this is bbc news. i'm carrie gracie. the headlines at 8pm. schools across the uk will close from friday as the death toll from coronavirus reaches 104. special provisions will be made for children of key workers and the most vulnerable. after schools shut their gates from friday afternoon, and they will remain closed for most peoples, the vast majority of pupils, until further notice. it poses a challenge for parents who are still trying to earn a living — the government says children shouldn't be left with grandparents who are the most vulnerable. i think it is good for the children but i think it is fun to be hard for the parents who have to go to work.

the government introduces emergency legislation to protect private tenants from being evicted if they're unable to pay their rent. the bank of england hasn't ruled out handing money directly to businesses and households stuggling to cope and urges firms to seek support before laying off staff. this is a message from the government's chief medical officer about coronavirus... a new government advert to ensure people know the symptoms — as the government says it wants to increase testing to 25,000 people a day. and supermarkets take action to reduce stockpiling and panic buying. good evening. all schools in the uk are to close

at the end of this week — as the number of people with coronavirus who've died rose from 71 to 104 in the past 2a hours. but the prime minister said he hoped to keep the closures to a minimum. borisjohnson said schools will close their doors by friday. from next week most children will be at home until further notice except for children of key workers — like nhs staff, police and delivery workers and as well as the most vulnerable. exams which were due to be taken in may and june will not now take place. the prime minister said pupils would get the qualifications they deserved — but didn't say how. the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the uk hasjumped by almost 700 to 2,626. 104 people have now died. the nhs said those who died in england were aged between 59 and 94 and had underlying health conditions. 0ur political editor

laura kuenssberg reports. home time — notjust until tomorrow but maybe for many months. the school bell on friday will signal the end of normal life for millions of children for the foreseeable future. it's perhaps not the last resort for the government, but certainly closing school gates was one of the measures ministers were desperate to avoid. after schools shut their gates from friday afternoon, they will remain closed for most pupils, for the vast majority of pupils, until further notice. now, i know that these steps will not be easy for parents or for teachers. and for many parents, this will be frustrating, and it will make it harderfor them to go out to work. and, of course, that's one of the reasons that we haven't wanted to go ahead. and that's why we're now working on further measures to ensure that we support notjust businesses but also individuals and their families to

keep our economy going. families will wonder — maybe more than anything else tonight — how long these closures might last. can you give us any indication? 0urjudgment right now is that this is the moment to provide further downward pressure. i wish i could give you an answer about how long it might be, laura, but we've got to do it right now. school closures could make business even trickier for firms struggling to stay afloat. sally field, a florist in bristol, has plenty of orders for mother's day. but despite the government's promised to prop up the economy with hundreds of billions of pounds of loans, she is uncertain — deeply uncertain — about what might come next. if the staff were to have to not come in, looking after their children, if we don't get the orders in, i won't be able to pay the rent of the shop. it's a massive worry. with well over 2,500 cases, ministers and officials keep are vowing to what it takes.

whitehall is scrambling to keep up with the demands of this crisis, for the government to explain quickly and precisely exactly how they plan to keep the many promises that have been made. there's a sense there could be more interventions and more restrictions on the way. the national safety net's expanding, but there are still holes, like the gaps on the commons green benches today — mps deliberately keeping their distance. coronavirus may be a mild illness for the majority, but the effects on the country could be grave. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. let's talk to our political correspondentjessica parker. another day and another news conference which gives the impression that events are outstripping almost the government's expectations and almost their ability to catch up with them. expectations and almost their ability to catch up with themlj think it is certainly a fast—paced

situation day today, major announcements being made and this announcements being made and this announcement on school closures for england came after we were learning that scotland was going to close its schools, that wales was going to close at schools and now of course the entire uk closing schools going to be this provision where key workers where the children of nurses oi’ workers where the children of nurses or doctors or people who deliver food for example, social care workers, police because one of the reasons that the government had been slightly reluctant i think to look at school closures is that it would mean that potentially people who have those very importantjobs particularly important over the weeks and months to come would have to go home to look after their children. we are in the slightly unique situation where it isn't going to be ok to call on the services of grandparents if indeed grandparents can help because out

people are particularly vulnerable to the virus but it seems that the sort of tipping point was reached today when the government was basically saying that whilst the risk of transmission at schools was relatively low and the children actually compared to for example vulnerable groups in elderly groups did not seem a risk with coronavirus, they are trying to suppress the spread of the virus and have decided to take that step. questions that that news conference about whether there would be a walk down particularly in london but clearly not yet. not yet but not ruled out. now as we know from earlier in the week london is ahead of other parts of the uk in terms of how far and fast the virus has spread. there has been quite about a speculation of a possible lockdown of london. we don't exactly know what that means, i think it is

important to say but i think you might be looking at some sort of restriction of movement clearly. the prime minister asked about this, asked whether people in london or more broadly could have decisions taken away from them in terms of how and when they choose to travel and the prime ministers said we live in a land of liberty and it is not something that this government or any government in this country would tend to do but he said he ruled nothing out and he talked about how the government was prepared to do what it needed to do in order to minimise casualties, minimise pressure on the nhs as well. and that in terms of the message on social distancing, the prime minister and the queen attempted to set an example. this is interesting. the premise are usually has a weekly audience with the queen which would usually be carried out in person and would travel to the palace to see the majesty. we understand that today's audience took place over the

phone and of course you presume that is because as you say carry these social distancing measures urging people not to have unnecessary contact and avoid that wherever possible, her majesty the queen and the prime minister clearly observing that today. jessica, thank you. the closure of schools poses a huge challenge to parents who are trying to earn a living — many of them now working from home. the government also stressed that children shouldn't be left with grandparents who are the most vulnerable to the virus. 0ur education editor, bra nwen jeffreys reports. you need to take home your books and anything else you need in order to be able to work successfully at home... a last glimpse of normal school life, but already too few teachers here to keep going. a whole year group were at home today. now the rest are set to follow. earlier, the head told me the government needed to get real. we have some children who may be at risk of things like domestic abuse.

they might not be safe in their own homes, they might not be fed because they come from very disadvantaged family backgrounds. we want to know that that must be our priority, even above things like learning and gcses, which are important. this is their gcse year, an anxious few months at the best of times. some people work better in a class environment. and if they are at home, they might get more distracted. we could get ill, we could miss lessons and that could hold back our work and also, for our families, it's a lot of stress, and it can be difficult to cope with. so that's it — schools closed for the foreseeable future. they will still have a stripped—back role, providing somewhere safe for the children of key workers, like those working in the nhs, and looking out for vulnerable children. and there will be vouchers for children on free school meals. so, as classrooms empty, what do parents think?

fortunately, i work from home and so does my husband, so it won't affect us, but it will have a significant impact on lots of other parents. knowing it will go round school and come home to every grandparent, other persons in your life, everybody could get it, so the sooner they shut it down, the better. schools will help in different ways, as doors shut on routine lessons. branwenjeffreys, bbc news, sussex. any moment we will speak to purnima tanuku who is the chief executive of the national day nurseries and that is in relation to preschool. association, and from luton by secondary school headteacher, andrew bull. welcome to you both. andrew thanks for joining andrew thanks forjoining us. a huge challenge for you to get everything sorted. are you confident you can

manage it in that time?|j sorted. are you confident you can manage it in that time? i think in these unprecedented times to expect a schools community —— school committee of 1800 children and 250 staff to be able to pull something together in 48 hours is going to be incredible difficult. my senior team this evening raise their eyebrows i think is an appropriate expression on how we might achieve this. we have something in place already we would expect a closure at some point, but 48 hours notice to put a whole different thing in motion is would be challenging. some of the teachers unions have said at least it avoids the sense of schools having to close in a chaotic fashion as their staff disappear to self—isolate or quarantine. a sense of at least we now have a plan, do you feel at least that you now have a plan? we know that the inevitable is going to happen on friday that we

will close. for the majority of our pupils i think to now have to try to put something in place and dissing which between the staff that will be coming in and not coming in, those that have made the decision to self—isolate or socially distance themselves, i'm left in a bit of a quandary as to how we can next week provide for the children that we need to provide for. we will of course but it does mean that over the next 40 hours, some really tough decisions are going to have to be made. can i ask how many of your 1800 students body fall into the category of key workers or formable children? we have a number of children? we have a number of children who have free school meals everyday in the region with about hundred 50 children as many as of the schools, we have a number of children who work in hospitals around dunstable and they need caring for and looking after from

one—day to the next. and for the next two days we will be getting the exact numbers on that to make sure that we have the right ratio staff to deal with them as well. andrew we will leave it there, think is so much forjoining us. we wish all the very best in dealing with these challenges over the next 48 hours. punimai challenges over the next 48 hours. punima i want to turn to you now because early years is another huge challenge, and getting less attention but also enormously important. absolutely and i am pleased that you have given us the opportunity to highlight this because so far the attention has all been on the retail sector, pubs and restau ra nts a nd been on the retail sector, pubs and restaurants and airlines. but i think nurseries are actually... this is why this is devastating news for nurseries because unlike schools nurseries because unlike schools nurseries are very different because schools if they are shut staff will be paid and all bills will be paid whereas the majority of nurseries are in the private sector. they have

mortgages to pay, they must pay their staff, they have to pay their utility bills and so far all we have heard from the government is support in terms of the earliest that they could get irrespective of the children attending or not and it will also has just been announced today that after pressure from us that the nurseries will also get business rates relief but that is all part of the equation because —— only part of the equation because pa rents only part of the equation because parents rely on nurseries. nurseries get one income from the government and one from the parents. already we hear parents are cancelling their debits, they are taking their children off the nursery and this will shut down a number of nurseries who are already on the brink. and aside from all of those questions, those existential questions for you as organisations, do you also have some of the organisational challenges that we were just hearing from andrew in relation to his secondary school? i suppose what i'm

asking is are you having or are some of your members having to provide places for key workers children and vulnerable children throughout this time? we onlyjust heard the news this evening and i think in terms of nurseries, some nurseries are operating in the nhs premises in hospitals. some operate outside and it is very different from nursery to nursery and geographically because what we don't know yet and this is what we don't know yet and this is what local authorities will have to work out, how many children nurseries are actually looking after. in some areas it could only be half a dozen children but there is no way nurseries can keep open for those small number of children and yet take on the costs unless the government really supports them financially. punima tanuku we're so grateful for you talking to us this evening and wish you all the best in dealing with all these new challenges that you and your members

now thank you. prince william has posted a message on his instagram account this evening — saying the people of the uk have a unique ability to pull together when adversity strikes, and launching an appeal for the national emergencies trust to help people most affecte by the coronavirus outbreak. whenever

prince william. the headlines on bbc news. schools across the uk will close from friday and the death toll from coronavirus reaches 104. it poses a challenge for many parents — the government says children shouldn't be left with grandparents who are the most vulnerable. emergency legislation is introduced to protect pregnant emergency legislation is introduced to protect preg na nt te na nts emergency legislation is introduced to protect pregnant tenants from being infected if they are unable to pay their rent. —— private tenants. the government has announced more detail as we were saying of the emergency legislation to protect people living in rented homes in

what ministers call the national emergency for coronavirus is happening. they include new law to suspend new infections from social or peripheral rental accommodation for at least a three month period. no new possession proceedings through applications to the court will start during the crisis. landlords will also be protected as a three—month mortgage payment holiday is extended to buy—to—let mortgages. the aim is to ensure that no social or private tenant will be forced from their homes during the coronavirus crisis. the legislation will be seen as an urgent priorty. and the government will issue guidance asking landlords to show compassion. we were going to have a report there but we will not do that because we will talk now to vicki spratt for the i newspaper. and also i'm joined by chris norris, director of policy & practice

at the national landlord association. chris uf welcomed the announcements of this legislation. we certainly welcome the government present offering and the fact that they are belatedly getting around to recognising this is an important sector so yes, landlords have concerns about this and concerns for their own health as well as castro and their businesses. but this is certainly a step in the right direction in terms of the mortgage support. —— as well as cash flow. vicky your immediate reaction?” think this is a step in the right direction but i do wonder about enforcement and how we stop how illegal infections make it legal infections are not supposed to happen but we know that they already do but i would like to see more detail on this. when you say by other means, some people will not know what you mean, can you specify? a piece of legislation we are

waiting for the government to put forward on ending section 21 infections and no—fault evictions. and what we worry about with that is if that goes through, landlords can just put the rent up and that is another way of evicting someone by proxy. so, iwould another way of evicting someone by proxy. so, i would like to be sure that there are not the evictions through other means like renter rises or that people won't be effected in three months' time, six months' time when they have a backlog because they have not been able to pay because they were not able to pay because they were not able to pay because they were not able to work. that sounds reasonable. chris do you share that concern? i'm not sure if we're jumping to conclusions that all landlords or some kind of denial —— demonic figure that want to effect people going to this very difficult client. note lambert was to be told that they have failed... most landlords i have spoken to realise that we are all going through this together and need to be pragmatic and keep up a good relationship with

their tenants frankly. a tenant in situ now but not able to pull —— pay the full rate is better than not being able to pay it all. we don't know how long this can go on for, so i think we all recognise we are going through this all together. and you think chris there is something more that the government can do to help build liquidity for tenants and landlords alike and build trust in a way to be the guarantor of this relationship? i think what the government are trending at the moment is they are trying to prevent people from becoming homeless. the best way to do that is to say —— to give them money and therefore give them means to pay their property. landlords would do whatever they can to help people but they are running very small businesses. quite often what we call micro—businesses they have one or two properties for some it will not take very long even with the mortgage moratorium will be walking, those costs will put a

point where businesses become unsustainable. what we are really calling on the government to do now is look at universal credit to look at how they support households to pay for the housing costs and back of rent and get rid of this anomaly which is the five—week payment... so that if people cannot work because the coronavirus they are able to access the coronavirus they are able to a ccess m ore the coronavirus they are able to access more quickly. and therefore keep on paying all their bills including their rent. vicky you are nodding, do you agree with all that? i think this is an important point. we have 20 million renters in this country, 63% of them don't have any savings, they earn less than homeowners, any impact on their income and loss of a job will hit them hard. this is notjust about not being effective for the next three months or six months, this is how people access benefits if their work is affected or if they become unwell. i think there is a bigger picture here and i think that is

quite right. and so the support for their income is the kind of key crucial and of this equation that the government needs to tackle? absolutely and we know that the local housing that is frozen is due to be unfrozen but it will not meet rents around the country that something else the government has to look at. these are problems in the housing market we have had for long time andl housing market we have had for long time and i think they're about to be laid bare by this crisis. vicky and chris, thank you both forjoining us in sharing your thoughts this evening. thank you. thanks. let's turn now to testing because at the moment around 5000 people are being tested every day in the uk for the virus — but the government says it wants to increase that to up to 25,000 a day within the next few weeks with the focus being on those who are already in hospital. meanwhile some front line staff say they're worried and scared about the lack of protective equipment available when they're treating patients. but the prime minister told mps

that there was a "massive effort" ongoing to ensure that staff had enough equipment to deal with the outbreak. here's our health editor, hugh pym. this is a message from the government's chief medical officer about coronavirus... it's important we all protect older people and those with existing health conditions from coronavirus. starring in a new tv advert, the chief medical officer for england getting his message straight into people's homes. you should all stay at home. chris whitty, hardly known a few weeks ago, is now a household name at the forefront of plans to tackle the coronavirus threat. one of the problems they're facing up to is protection for nhs staff. some say they haven't got masks and other personal protective equipment — ppe — so they're at risk of infection at work. we don't feel that the government have been transparent with how many masks they have,

how many advanced masks they have and how much protective equipment is available for front line staff over the coming weeks, days and months. we fear that it may be already too late. if i've already been exposed, then it's too late. in the commons, the prime minister wanted to reassure staff it was a priority. there is a massive effort going on, comparable to the effort to build enough ventilators, to ensure that we have adequate supplies and pp equipment notjust now but throughout the outbreak. the government says virus testing will be more than doubled to 25,000 a day, focusing first on hospitals, then on extra tests for staff and in the community. the nhs is clearing the decks for a likely surge in patient numbers. at the whittington hospital in north london, they've prepared this ward for covid—19 patients with piped oxygen. the beds are normally used for those who have had nonurgent operations. they've now been stopped for the next few months.

ok, so this is my tiny attic room. it's our kind of spare room — two beds, one small window to the garden, and that's about it, really. and i've been here since friday. dr maria goddard told me what it's like to be isolated and unwell with coronavirus symptoms. just complete exhaustion. cough, fever, slightly short of breath. so how well—prepared does she think the nhs is? i've worked at the nhs for more than 30 years. it's an unprecedented response and it's really impressive. i am very, very impressed, and i think the public will be very well looked after. i just hope that the resource is enough. and that's the big question — will the nhs preparations be enough? in the meantime, a temporary mortuary has been set up in central london. nobody right now can really answer that. hugh pym, bbc news.

italy is still hardest hit by coronavirus. the death toll has surged again in the last 24 hours by 475. almost 3000 people have now died. the one day death toll is the largest anywhere in the world since the virus started spreading two months ago. in the uk, older and disabled people who are cared for at home are particularly vulnerable — as we know. and the care companies who look after them say they're having problems getting protective equipment — the government says it will be made available. they're also calling for virus testing for their staff, and financial help to meet the pressures. here's our social affair correspondent, alison holt. we've had a couple of issues, is there any chance you can pick up a couple this evening? in the control room of trinity home care in surrey, care coordinators are busy managing the increasing pressures on their staff caused by the coronavirus and reassuring the older and disabled people they look after. we ain't going to let you completely run out of food. we will grab some bits.

he is quite high risk so i don't want too many carers going in there at the moment. 0n the prescription, usually, there is the date of when it was prescribed. they are training new care workers to try to meet the growing need but in a sector which has faced years of underfunding and staff shortages, many care companies say they are already struggling. frustrating for senior care worker shona, who has a lung condition so is now office—based to keep her safe. i will miss my clients because they are so used to me calling in and seeing them. and i've had to explain... not tell them what is wrong with me butjust that i will not be physically visiting them but i will make sure they are well looked after. care providers are also desperate for protective equipment, like gloves and face masks, needed to care for people with covid—19, and they want testing. so those without the virus can work. company bosses say, to cope, firms need councils to start paying for services upfront. the role of the care sector's been understated

at all times in recent years. we have seen a decimation of funding to the sector, we are the fourth emergency sector, and we need to be recognised as that. the government says companies will get more financial support and personal protection equipment is on its way. alison holt, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with nick. hobo, quite a cold night ahead for scotla nd hobo, quite a cold night ahead for scotland and northern ireland where skies are clear. quite sharp frost on the coldest rural spots. they crossed across northern england, north wales where skies are clearing. for the rest of england and wales, we keep cloud and apparatus of rain in south—west england and south wales across the midlands and east anglia and temperatures holed up here at least in the morning where the frost will be plenty of sunshine, you will find the odd shower in northern ireland and scotland, the rest will stay dry. some high because in the north

but the north wales and northing wind in the way, and this area hangs around. pretty much the same spot may be nudging a little further north in parts of wales and the midlands as the day goes on. and there is an easterly breeze kicking across southern parts. where it was quite mild today, 15, 16 degrees it will be quite a few degrees cooler during tomorrow. dry weather on the way for the weekend. hello this is bbc news. the headlines. schools across the uk will close from friday as the death toll from coronavirus reaches 104. special provisions will be made for children of key workers and the most vulnerable. after schools shut their gates from friday afternoon, they will remain

closed for most peoples, the vast majority of pupils, until further notice. it poses a challenge for parents who are still trying to earn a living — the government says children