the government seeks to assure parents and teachers that schools in england can be safely reopened. while ministers say the risk of the virus can't be totally eliminated, plans continue to have some year groups back in a fortnight. running through the figures, the r number, the rate of infection in the community overall, we're confident that children and teachers will be safe. we'll be assessing what the science says on coronavirus and children. also tonight: the councils asking for emergency support and saying vital services are threatened by a funding crisis. amid a weekend of warmer weather, how some parts of the uk are coping with more visitors and the challenge of social distancing. and the pandemic and our mental health — the archbishop of canterbury

speaks out about his own struggles. good evening. the government says it's confident that children and teachers will be safe under its plans for schools in england to open to more pupils next month. the cabinet office minister michael gove said that while it was impossible to completely eliminate the risk of contracting coronavirus, it was extremely unlikely that a school would be the source of an outbreak. it comes as number of coronavirus deaths reported for the last 2a hours dropped to 170. that's the lowest since the day after lockdown began, though there is generally a lag at the weekends in the recording of deaths. the total number of people who have died in the uk after testing postive

for the virus is now 3a,636. our first report this evening is from our chief political correspondent, vicki young. could this be what primary schools in england look like in a fortnight? in denmark, pupils are put into small groups with one teacher and kept apart. it's a model the government's suggesting here, but many teachers and parents want to know whether it's safe. none of us, none of us can guarantee that anyone will be entirely free, unless effectively they‘ re perpetually imprisoned in their own home. and therefore, what we need to do is to make sure that people are as safe as possible, and in any widespread understanding of the word, schooling for a limited number of children with social distancing is a safe environment. but some councils, like liverpool and hartlepool, say earlyjune is too soon to reopen the gates. labour wants more information. what gavin needs to do, the education secretary,

is publish the science to why they're making the decision they're making now, and ensure there is a testing and tracing which he promised yesterday that on the 1st ofjune that would be available, but at the moment we've not seen any evidence that they can provide that, they haven't got the staff in place they said they needed to have the tracing, so testing and tracing and isolation is really important to tracking the virus. schools in wales will not reopen on the 1st ofjune and may not restart at all before the summer in scotland or northern ireland. some parents think england should take the same approach. valerie brooker lives in surrey and has two daughters. she thinks it's too soon to go back to school. my youngest, brownwen, she has asthma, she's on two inhalers. charlotte, she has full—on learning difficulties, and she has had pneumonia when she was five years old. i don't want her getting a second bout of pneumonia. it's just not viable. i don't want bronwen unknowingly coming home and passing the virus. she might be a carrier.

children rarely become seriously ill from coronavirus. less is known about how they might transmit it. teaching unions have quizzed government scientists, and some are reassured. critically, are teachers and other staff in schools at greater risk than if they were returning to other professions? and that was the key bit of information — they're not at greater risk as teachers and other people in schools, and for me that was a very significant moment in allowing us to be able to say, let's start planning even more carefully to open our schools, which were already open, to more pupils and more students. it will be huge logistical challenge, but the government believes schools can be made extremely safe, and with scientists warning that we could be living with this virus for a long time, they think it would be very damaging to keep children out of the classroom indefinitely. vicki young, bbc news, westminster. ministers say their plans to re—open

schools in england will be guided by the best scientific advice, but what exactly does the science tell us about children and the coronavirus? our health correspondent dominic hughes has been exploring the evidence. the arguments over when or even whether schools in england should reopen before the summer come down to the safety of staff and pupils, how the virus behaves in children, and the extent to which they could pass it on to adults. so what does the science tell us? we do know that children do become infected, and we measured the amount of virus in their nasal samples, and that looks pretty similar to adults. what we don't know is whether these children then are able to pass on to other adults or to other children. is that where the argument lies, do you think? definitely, we need to see evidence that children pass on to other people, and we can do that through our contact—tracing type approaches, where we can follow the chain of infection and see whether children are part of that. the other important question is what is the risk posed to adults?

both the teachers the children will see at school and the ones they live with at home. well, children seem to be as likely as adults to get infected, and yet they seem to also suffer fewer symptoms for a shorter period of time, and seem to infect fewer people as a result. but the truth is it's early days, and we simply don't know for sure. scientists say they need much more data. some countries, such as germany and denmark, are phasing the reopening of schools with social distancing in place, but students in italy will not resume their studies until september. other countries never shut schools in the first place, so what lessons can we learn? what we have seen in countries where schools have remained open is that there have not been big outbreaks in schools, and where there have been, it has been associated with events where a lot of people gather, not in regular classrooms. it has often been associated with an adult who has had the infection and has spread it. as with so many aspects of the coronavirus, the scientific evidence

is still emerging. in the end, it becomes a question of balancing risk, because not sending children to school can also have a damaging effect on their health. dominic hughes, bbc news. our education correspondent elaine dunkley is in salford. given the clash between the government and the teaching unions, any idea how soon it can be resolved? it has been a week of rows, and we are getting closer to the ist ofjune, from which point on the ist ofjune, from which point on the government wants schools to reopen. the government has said it is scientifically safe to reopen, but this week the british medical association backed the concerns of teaching unions over how they will manage the risks of children catching and spreading coronavirus to teachers and their families. there is going to be another significant review on my the 28. let's not forget there is a whole host of other issues here. while schools have remained open to the children of key workers, and those

children of key workers, and those children deemed vulnerable, the vast majority have not been back to school since march the 20th and are unlikely to be in a classroom until september. the government says it would like children in secondary schools who are taking exams next year to have some time in the classroom before the summer holidays, but the vast majority of children are being taught at home by pa rents children are being taught at home by parents who are also working, so there is huge on family. and what this pandemic is also highlighted is just how vulnerable some children are in terms of poverty, resources at home to learn, and also just how safe home is for them. so there are some big challenges ahead for the government and for schools. elaine dunkley, thank you very much. the business secretary, alok sharma, has announced that the drugs company astrazeneca will make 30 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine by september if it's proven to work. the vaccine is being developed by a team at oxford university and is currently part of a clinical trial. the government has put an additional £81; million towards accelerating trials and mass production of potential covid—i9 vaccines.

the scottish government has announced it will begin testing contact—tracing technology in three health—board areas from tomorrow. it's the first step towards an extended test, trace and isolate approach to be rolled out across scotland by the end of the month. anyone testing positive will be asked to isolate and a system used to identify and contact people they have been close to. leaders of some of the largest councils in england have appealed to the government for emergency financial support to prevent them becoming insolvent during the pandemic. the county councils network says that without a £5 billion income guarantee, many non—essential services will have to be cut. there could also be an impact on care providers which rely on council funding. here's our political correspondent alex forsyth. and a warning — her report contains some flashing images. emergency food parcels for the vulnerable, prepared and packed by staffordshire county council. i don't know how many thousands we've done... across the country, councils are providing a range of extra support,

often adding pressure to budgets. for those on the receiving end, these are essential services. like chris, self—isolating for his health and grateful for the help. i would have had to starve, literally, because i've got nobody. who can you call on to just magically appear with food? for councils in staffordshire, like elsewhere, the increasing costs of this crisis are coupled with a drop in income. parking charges often suspended, leisure centres and tourist attractions closed, and there is fear about a fall in business rates and council tax if people can't afford to pay. the county council here welcomes extra government funding but says it's still left a gap. the cost to the county council, probably about £50 million at the moment, and the government have given us £38 million. our council finances will be stretched. they're manageable at the moment, and we've had additional costs that the government should fund. so far, the government's given an extra £3.2 billion to councils in england, and last week a further £600 million

for councils to pass on to care providers. but there's demand for more. at the start of this crisis, councils were told by the government to spend what it takes, but there's growing concern they will be left out of pocket. many want the government to guarantee it will cover the costs of their lost income, because some fear they'll simply run out of money, and that could have a real impact on some crucial services. take social care — already under strain, exacerbated by this pandemic. private providers who rely on income from councils say, with budgets tight, the extra government money is not getting through to them. there was not nearly enough money. we have seen one home close already, i think there will be others that are teetering on the edge now. this is a result of underinvestment by successive governments for a period of nearly two decades. the government says, as well as extra funding during the crisis, councils have had more money overall

to spend in the past year, and a spokesman said they continue to work closely with councils as the pandemic progresses and any concerned about their future financial position should contact the ministry for local government. those running the services many rely on say they do need a short—term fix, but also a long—term funding solution. alex forsyth, bbc news. the head of the uk's independent budget forecaster has said the economy is likely to have a slower recovery rather than a bounce back to previous levels of activity. robert chote was speaking in a bbc interview. our business correspondent katy austin's here. what are the expectations about the likely shape of the recovery? well, the pandemic is hitting the uk economy, and the obr has warned it could shrink by a third in the second quarter, but the big unknown is what happens next, what the recovery will be like. the most optimistic prediction would be for

the sharp drop to be followed by a swift bounce back, and the obr has modelled that scenario. however, its chairman, robert chote, said today that he thought a slower recovery was more likely in practice, and the impact of that, including on the public finances, would depend on factors including how confident people were to actually get back to work and to spend money, which of cause affects tax revenues. but he said the real worry was actually whether we would see permanent scarring on the economy, so we see lots of businesses failing, for example, and people losing their jobs, not being able to get new ones. he also said there will be kind of long—term changes to the way the economy operates, more online shopping, sectors like restaurants ending up much smaller than they we re ending up much smaller than they were before, but he said he did not necessarily see austerity as the way the government would respond to higher levels of death. katy, thank you very much. this has been the first weekend of eased lockdown restrictions in england,

with people permitted to drive to other locations for outdoor exercise. some popular areas have asked visitors to think twice before making the journey, especially where social distancing is hard to achieve. our correspondent claire marshall has been talking to some of those who headed for the seaside. the chalk cliffs of the dorset coast and its most cherished landmarks, lulworth cove and the limestone arch at durdle door. what a place to come after a lockdown. around 2500 people have made the trip here today, way up on yesterday, and later in the week the weather's only going to get better. the owner, who's had to furlough 140 workers, says even before the lockdown was relaxed, people were trying to come here. of course, now they can come. the police don't have any power to stop them. if we hadn't opened, they would be on the roads walking around anyway. they're doing what they can to keep people safe, but you can't get around geography.

this perfectly shows the problems that lie ahead — hundreds of thousands of people normally come to this beach, but this is the only route in and out. look how hard it is to social distance. people are doing their best to stay away from each other. it's such a release after so many weeks cooped up. they have handled it really well, you know, having the one—way system here, and there's obviously a lot of people here, the sun's shining, but i feel really safe and just happy to see families having fun. still, some are worried by what they see. the peacock family drove an hour and a half to get here. we spoke to daughter ellie and mumjane. it's nice to get out of quarantine, but i think, yeah, it's going to peak again, because of everyone's just going to go mad and go anywhere they can. it's lovely to get out, but i'm quite shocked as to how many people are here and how they're not paying attention to the social distancing. i find that quite annoying, to be honest.

it's like being in tesco's. in other parts of england, people were back on the beach in southend in essex. and up in the peak district, car parks were full for the second day. local authorities are still asking people to stay away. also back in business, the coastal town of bridlington, north of hull. in scotland, wales and northern ireland, the lockdown rules haven't changed. but here in england people are making the most of the relaxation. claire marshall, bbc news, dorset. let's take a look at developments elsewhere, and in spain the daily figure for deaths from covid—i9 has fallen to 87. it's the first time since the country's lockdown began in mid—march that fewer than 100 deaths have been recorded. nearly 28,000 people have died in spain since the start of the outbreak. staff at a hospital in brussels turned their backs on the belgian prime minister during an official visit. belgium's government has been criticised for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the country's

high mortality rate. the prime minister has previously suggested that belgium may be over—reporting the actual number of cases. india has extended its nationwide lockdown for another two weeks but relaxed many of the rules. offices will have staggered hours, and shops are being allowed to open with limits on the number of customers. individual states are being given the authority to take measures to contain outbreaks. in south africa, no—one has been able to buy alcohol or cigarettes for the last seven weeks as part of its coronavirus lockdown. health experts say the measures have helped reduce crime and injuries, allowing the police and hospitals to focus on tackling the virus. but critics argue it's playing into the hands of criminal gangs and damaging a fragile economy. our africa correspondent andrew harding reports from johannesburg. patrolling the dark streets ofjohannesburg — south africa's police trying to enforce much more than just the lockdown.

they've spotted a woman with something in her hand. could she be selling cigarettes? she's bundled into the van. the sale of cigarettes and alcohol is now strictly prohibited here. well, this is how south africa's new prohibition is being enforced — police on the streets at night, seeking out anybody dealing or carrying alcohol or cigarettes. it is a deeply controversial part of this country's lockdown. the south african government says its prohibition is working, that by restricting alcohol, they're reducing public violence and keeping hospital beds free for coronavirus patients. but the ban is also fuelling organised crime. these schoolchildren are now selling contraband cigarettes on behalf of powerful gangsters. these people are quite scary, are they?

yes, they are very scary. they carry guns around, they can't trust anyone. do you feel ashamed of doing this criminal activity, or do you think this is a stupid law? i feel ashamed, it's not ok. you'd rather have a properjob? exactly. as for bootlegging, it seems like everyone's at it now. kitchen gin being distilled for sale in the suburbs. and home—brewed pineapple beer, the only source of income now for a mother—of—three who lost herjob because of the lockdown. what would happen to you if you were caught? the police, if they can catch me, they'd put me in the jail. are you afraid of that? yes, i'm afraid. because my kids, who can look after my kids? and those who aren't breaking the new law are in danger of going out of business. in the stunning wine lands around cape town, dozens of vineyards are going bust and thousands of workers

losing theirjobs. and then there's this. seven million litres of beer are being poured down the drain to clear a nation's clogged breweries. another unintended consequence of south africa's divisive coronavirus prohibition. andrew harding, bbc news, johannesburg. the world health organization has warned that a global mental health crisis is looming, because of the many consequences of the pandemic. on the eve of mental health awareness week, the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, has been speaking about his own struggle with anxiety and how the country should respond to the virus. here's our religion editor, martin bashir. we've tried to keep calm and carry on, but in our locked—down homes, minds have been racing. according to the office for national statistics, almost half of adults in the uk are suffering with anxiety —

including the archbishop of canterbury. there is real anxiety, and you can't just so easily talk it through. of course, anxiety is a very reasonable thing to suffer. when i talk to the doctor who i talk to from time to time, he says the whole point about anxiety and depression is they're there to tell you something. we often think it's just us who is struggling, that everyone else is doing ok... it was while delivering thought for the day before his 64th birthday that the archbishop admitted to his own depression. he'd grown up with an alcoholic father. soon after marrying, he and his wife lost a child, aged just seven months. loss, grief, anxiety are traumas. and trauma has to be gone through. and you can't do it

just with the stiff upper lip. as archbishop, he wants to open churches when safe to do so but says he is more focused on the mental health of the nation. what i hope and pray that we learn is, first of all, that we cannot base our society on the idolatry of wealth, even of health. secondly, that we build a vision of the society we want. we have a commission of inquiry into what we learn from this — not to blame, but to learn. we have royal commission on how we look after social care. the reaction to the last crisis, the financial crisis, was one of austerity. yes. do you think the same should happen this time round? can we do that again? no. i think that would be. ..catastrophic,

because austerity falls worst on the weakest. let us have a society that follows god's call forjustice, and don't kid me that economics and spirituality don't go together. it is god's economy, and god is the one who brings the spirit that makes economics work and make itjust. martin bashir, bbc news, at lambeth palace. that's all from us tonight. now on bbc one, it's time for the news where you are. goodbye.

hello. this is bbc news with james reynolds. we've got used to spending much of our lives staring at screens in recent years. now we're becoming rapidly accustomed to staring through them too.

demand for protective screens in shops and offices is booming during this pandemic, and manufacturers are struggling to keep up. here's our business correspondent, katy austin. clear plastic sheet being cut and shaped into protective screens — these will end up on reception desks. this office furniture manufacturer near dudley is getting ten times the normal orders for screens. staff are back from furlough, making 700 a week. more and more businesses are starting to get back to work and they want to do that safely, which has triggered a huge amount of demand for the kind of protective screens that they make here. the company's boss says offices will start to look very different. normally, you would have screening of this height to provide a separation between space, now people need to extend that to provide a more practical barrier. but the rush for see—through screens has caused a shortage in transparent acrylic — many businesses

could have to wait months. is it possible that everybody who wants a plastic screen will get one now? in simple terms, no. we will be exploring all sorts of alternative materials, but there is a limited supply of acrylic, and that is being used up very quickly. everybody is looking for screens. for weeks, this firm in leicester has rushed to make visors and supermarket screens. but now other types of business, from taxis through to warehouses are in need of them. but materials from europe are not made quickly enough. demand has been at least ten times the usual market and that causes troubles. customers are wanting deliveries now because businesses are opening and, with that, we are unfortunately in the position that we cannot supply generally for four weeks.

the supply is being monitored. we have been talking to government every day for weeks. we have been monitoring supply change in the industry. we are looking at specific items and the general supply of raw materials, to make sure the government and ourselves are up—to—date with what is available and where. as the economy gets back into gear with safety at the fore, this could just be the tip of the iceberg. katy austin, bbc news. and we'll be taking an in—depth look at the papers with our reviewers, the broadcaster and psychotherapist lucy beresford, and john rentoul, chief political commentator at the independent. that's coming up after the headlines. time for a look at the weather with ben rich. hello there. there is some warm weather and some wet weather in the forecast for the next few days.

the warm weather will become quite widespread, but i think most of the wet weather will be found across the north of the uk. it is going to turn very warm for a time, particularly in the south, before cooler and windier conditions arrive by the end of the week. over the next few days we will see various frontal systems bringing more areas of cloud, some of which will be rain bearing, but it is to the south of those areas that we are going to start to tap into some increasingly warm air, temperatures really are going to climb by the middle of the week. for of the week. monday, some rain to start across for monday, some rain to start across northern scotland, increasingly confined to the northern isles. the north of the mainland will brighten out. quite a lot of cloud persisting in southern scotland, north—west england and northern ireland, patchy rain becoming heavier from the west in the afternoon. further south, spells of hazy sunshine. quite windy in northern scotland. temperatures, 18

in aberdeen, 17 in belfast, but a high of 2a in some parts of south—east england. on monday night and early on tuesday, more splashes of rain at times on northern ireland, northern england and scotland, some clear spells further south look at those overnight temperatures. 12 degrees the minimum values for some, so a mild start for tuesday. a lot of clout in northern areas with some patchy rain at times and it's likely to be quite misty and it's likely to be quite misty and murky for western coasts. but the south and east, the best sunshine and highest temperatures, with 25 likely in london by this stage. on wednesday, high pressure firmly in charge, these frontal systems held at bay for the time being, so wednesday will be the sunniest day of the week. northern ireland and scotland even brightening up. in shetland, a lot of cloud and some splashes of rain, with temperatures around nine.

further south, a high of 27 is possible. things change for the end of the week and we could see thunderstorms on thursday. it turns windy for all of us on friday with some rain at times and by then it will feel a bit cooler. hello. this is bbc news.