This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. Coronavirus tests for uk key workers through the government website were booked up within an hour of it reopening this morning. All home testing kits were ordered in less than 15 minutes. Countries around europe pursue options to end the lockdown belgium sets out a detailed plan to relax restrictions. Meanwhile a former uk chancellor calls on the government to set out how britain can ease its lockdown and restart the economy. People needing medical care are urged not to be put off by the coronavirus pandemic, as visits to uk a e departments drop by almost half. Three us states allow some businesses to reopen as the number of deaths from coronovirus
there tops 50,000. The English Premier League holds talks with ministers about how football matches could resume with televised matches played behind closed doors. And we cant go to the zoo at the moment but weve got the next best thing a virtual tour round Edinburgh Zoo, courtesy of its keepers. Hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. Were covering all the latest coronavirus developments here in britain and globally. First, here in the uk, the majority of coronavirus tests for essential workers were booked up through the government website within an hour of it
reopening this morning with some Still Available in scotland. All home testing kits were allocated in less than 15 minutes. In other developments, as European Countries start to ease their lockdowns, belgium has announced a timetable for gradually lifting restrictions. All shops will reopen from 11th may. In the uk, the former chancellor Philip Hammond has called on the government to begin easing the lockdown to restart the economy. Spains daily virus toll has risen slightly to 378 people it comes a day after the country registered its lowest number of fatalities in four weeks. And the English Premier League has been holding talks with the uk government about how football matches could be permitted to resume. More on that later but first for more on the situation in the uk, Richard Galpin reports. The drive to get millions of key workers such as teachers, the police and staff working in the Food Industry began yesterday. But the numbers applying are overwhelming the system. Just before ten oclock this morning, we looked
at the government website, which key workers use to book a test. Many of the options were already unavailable. Home kits were all booked out within 15 minutes. The only available option for a test was at a site in scotland. This, for many, very frustrating, and requiring a lot of persistence. I tried and it was not working. So i kept on trying throughout the evening. Eventually i got back on. And, again, went through the system of trying to book a test. I booked it and this morning when i woke up i received a text to tell me that a test has been allocated for me at 2pm this afternoon. Today, senior nhs officials have urged people to be patient. More capacity is coming on stream, so i would urge people who fit in those criteria as key workers to go back onto the website as more appointments become available. Also today, the nhs has announced an urgent
campaign, calling on people who have fallen seriously ill with conditions other than coronavirus to go to hospital for treatment. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the uk, the number of people coming to a e departments has dropped by around 50 . Apparently because people fear being a burden in the midst of this crisis. We are here for non coronavirus patients, too. So, if you are worried about chest pain, maybe you might be having a heart attack or a stroke, or you feel a lump or you are worried about cancer, or you are a parent concerned about your child, please come forward and use the Health Service in the way that you normally would. Delaying coming to hospital when suffering from heart attacks or strokes, or other serious conditions, could have very serious consequences. The nhs says it has the capacity to look after non coronavirus patients. Richard galpin, bbc news. Lets speak to our political correspondent, nick eardley. We have got a former chancellor here in britain urging the government to explain the plan for getting the economy restarted. Yes, the uk government has been more reluctant than others to talk about what happens after lockdown and how those restrictions might start to be lifted. But there are increasingly conversations going on here in the conservative party about what that might look like. Philip hammond, who was chancellor until about a year ago, is essentially arguing that emerging from lockdown is going to be hard, a lot harder than it was to go into it in the first place, but he believes it is crucial to restart the economy again because the longer you leave it, the more the damage will be. Have a listen to what he said this morning. We have to start reopening the economy, but we have
to do it living with covid 19. We cant wait until a vaccine is developed, produced in sufficient quantity and rolled out across the population. The economy wont survive that long. We are going to have to start reopening but we are going to have to do it alongside the measures that are in place to protect the population from covid 19 and that is going to be a much more complex phase of this crisis than the initial acute phase. Locking everything down and keeping everything down and keeping everything locked down is relatively straightforward. The challenge of how to progressively, carefully, methodically reopen, protecting both health and jobs, is much, methodically reopen, protecting both health andjobs, is much, much methodically reopen, protecting both health and jobs, is much, much more challenging and calls for a really skilful political leadership. There are many conservatives who are sympathetic to that argument, he wa nts sympathetic to that argument, he wants the government to start a conversation about how lockdown is lifted, like the one we have seen it
started in scotland and wales in the last few days. As i say, ministers so farare last few days. As i say, ministers so far are reluctant to do that because they dont want to delete the message we had from them everyday to stay home help save lives which they think has been remarkably successful. There has been a report that Dominic Cummings has been attending a meeting of scientific advisers. Why is that raising eyebrows . This is sage, the group that we have been hearing a lot about over the past few weeks because it is basically the one that advises the government on what to do next. Nick cummings, as we understand, has been taking part in those meetings. Dominic cummings. Number ten is adamant that that was just to be part of the conversation and to help out where possible. It
has raised eyebrows amongst some who think that it potentially means that that body is making decisions based on politics as well as in science. Labour saying that a political adviser, not a scientific elite micro civil servant, a scientific adviser. A scientific adviser saying it called into question the impartiality of the group. Number ten is completely denying that but it has raised a few eyebrows as to whether or not that is the right thing or not. Thank you very much. Join us in an hourfrom now where well be answering your questions on the economy, business and debt in your questions answered, with the director of the institute for fiscal studies, pauljohnson. Get in touch on twitter using the hashtag bbcyourquestions and you can email us on yourquestions bbc. Co. Uk for much of the world,
the pandemic shows few signs of slowing and the lockdown continues. Millions of people are forced to stay at home many businesses have had to shut their doors. But there are glimmers of hope as some countries, particularly in europe, consider easing the restrictions. Tim allman reports. This is Mont Saint Michel on frances normandy coast. Millions of tourists come here every year, but not this year. For now, its like a ghost town. Empty streets, empty tables, the lockdown in full effect. Translation i would say it was done like a military campaign, because at nine oclock, theyjust said, sorry, sir, you are not opening. That was it, it was done in less than a minute. It was very sudden. So we closed, everyone left, we just dropped everything. It is the same all across the country. This is the place de la concorde in paris, almost completely deserted. But things may soon change. President macron suggesting travel restrictions could soon be eased as france tries to get back to normal. For belgium, that process is already tentatively under way. In a late night news conference, the Prime Minister unveiled a detailed timetable to ease the lockdown. Translation wearing an item of protection that covers both the mouth and the nose will be compulsory when taking Public Transport starting may 11th for travellers aged 12 and above. Most shops schools will begin reopening next month, although classrooms will be limited to ten pupils and facemasks will have to be worn on Public Transport. Translation if we can present you with an exit strategy, it is because of the citizens that are also leading the fight against covid 19. Restaurant owners in germany have been staging a protest, laying out rows of empty chairs in dozens of towns and cities across the country. They say their industry is in a precarious situation and they dont know when they will be allowed to reopen. And there were tense scenes in austria as around 200 people took to the streets of vienna calling to an end to the lockdown there. Restrictions have been eased, but for some, it is just not happening fast enough. Tim allman, bbc news. More than 50,000 people have died of coronavirus in the United States. It comes as three of the lesser affected states are allowing shops to reopen. President trump has now claimed he was being sarcastic when he suggested injecting disinfectants may be a way to fight coronavirus and refused to take questions at the White House Daily briefing,
david willis reports. Thank you very much. And with that they were gone. A Daily Press Briefing which routinely stretches beyond two hours, all over in 22 minutes. Donald trumps reluctance to face further question seen as a response to the backlash he has faced over comments made to the coordinator of his Coronavirus Task force the day before. And then i see the disinfectant. That knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do Something Like that . By injection, inside or. Almost a cleaning . Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check. That prompted a torrent of ridicule and condemnation. Government officials warning of the Health Problems that ingesting household disinfectant could cause. And a stark reminderfrom mr trumps democratic rivaljoe biden. Dont drink bleach. President trump has since said
he wasnt being serious, even though he appeared so at the time. I was asking a sarcastic, in a very sarcastic question, to the reporters in the room, about disinfectant on the inside. But it does kill it and it would kill it on the hands. Meanwhile, more than 50,000 people here have now died from the coronavirus, but in georgia and some other southern states, hairdressers, tattoo parlours and nail salons have already started to reopen. Despite warnings from Health Officials that its too early for them to do so safely. Thousands of transport workers around the globe are continuing to work, despite facing personal risk from coronavirus. In the us, the death of a bus driver in detroit highlighted that very danger. Unions say some cities have been slow to provide simple protections, like face masks. The issue of paid sick leave has also proved contentious. John costa is the International President of the amalgamated Transit Union an organisation that that represents employees in the industry. Thank you very much forjoining us. Just tell us about the kind of risks that you feel your members are facing every day. Thank you and thank you for taking the time to recognise our transportation workers in the country. The risks they are taking every day is they dont have enough protection. We have. The ppe is not there. They dont have the correct equipment and protection and there are risks, they are overexposed every day, there is overcrowding on the buses and right
now we have 30 of our members that have fallen and passed away. The tw has over 80, so it is a big problem is here. What is the difference between how protection is afforded to those who in the Public Sector compared with the private sector . The private is worse. The Public Sector seems to be doing a little better. In the private, my belief is that it better. In the private, my belief is thatitis better. In the private, my belief is that it is more profit driven and they are not spending the money or they are not spending the money or they dont want to spend the money for protection so they are doing a poorjob of for protection so they are doing a poor job of protecting for protection so they are doing a poorjob of protecting our members. Since jason died, the bus driver we mentioned in detroit, how have things changed . Mentioned in detroit, how have things changed . Have there been any improvements or recognition of what your members need . Yes he was a hero. I believe he knew he was sick
and after that video that Went National and international, we have seen national and international, we have seen more national and international, we have seen more protection come and an understanding of how serious this is. We are now making demands and have took a position with the agencies and have demands of the equipment we want along with overcrowding needs to stop, riders need to wear masks and we should be better workstations, the workstations in the buses should be protected and they should close them, either by some plexiglass or some plastic and keeping the boarding through the rear door and keeping away from the operator. What you also want to see in terms of
paid sick leave if your members do come down with covid 19 . Paid sick leave if your members do come down with covid19 . We are demanding paid sick leave if they come down. We are also demanding testing for that we have no testing going on, may one or two sites now are doing testing and that is a problem. We dont know. We know right now but over 3000 of our members are infected. 0ver right now but over 3000 of our members are infected. Over 900 are infected, over 3000 are in quarantine. So therefore it is spreading, not only amongst our members but our concern is even in the public, that every day we are moving the front lines and this is making no sense to not have the equipment, overcrowding the buses, and my fear is that when we open up, is it going to get worse without having the equipment . The authorities are saying they are having a hard time getting the equipment. Im sure the members of the public in the United States feel
the public in the United States feel the way the british people do towards those essential workers who keep turning out for work despite the risks. John costa, thank you for your time. Lets stay in the United States and take you to new york city. Ths is the view right now of times square one of the busiest Tourist Spots in the world which you can see at the moment is empty. You can really just you can reallyjust recognise it by those incredible hoardings but new york state has been really the ha rd est york state has been really the hardest hit and has borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States where there have been more than 263,000 confirmed cases. The headlines on bbc news. Coronavirus tests for uk key workers through the government website were booked up within an hour of it reopening this morning. All home testing kits were ordered in less than fifteen minutes. Countries around europe pursue options to end the lockdown belgium sets out a detailed plan to relax restrictions. Meanwhile, a former uk chancellor calls on the government to set out how britain can ease its lockdown and restart the economy. British government ministers have been holding talks with the English Premier League about allowing football matches to resume. Games would be played behind closed doors for a Television Audience only. Meanwhile the dutch fa has controversially decided to abandon its football season. Lets get more on this and speak to Katherine Downes who is at the bbc sport centre in salford. Im going the wrong way. I wondered where you were . It through me. That
is normally the other direction from that camera. Nice to see you. What is the thinking regarding the English Premier League . It is being referred to as a quickening of the pace. A move towards the reintroduction, notjust a football, but of all the sport to get resuming again within weeks. The football, talks, as you mentioned, have already begun with the season currently suspended indefinitely for top liverpool just currently suspended indefinitely for top liverpooljust two wins of a First Premier League title in 30 yea rs. First premier league title in 30 years. Fans of leeds united, west brom, those championship sides vying for the lucrative promotion spot into the premier league was that this does sound like very exciting news indeed but there are, as you mentioned, many caveats to this. At these meetings, planned with the government, sports will be examined in detail with a view to getting that sport up and running. So the specifics really brought under the microscope and that will mean that some sports will return sooner than others. It did remember, government
officials widely accepting that sport at this time can only take place behind closed doors. It does depend on death rates continuing to fall, social distancing still being observed, and stringent hygiene standards being upheld. So, yes, the talks are beginning and sport and football is back on the agenda but the sporting deadlock isnt supposed to be lifted for at least another few weeks. The uk government reassessing current measures in place on may the 7th and there will be no movement before then. Whats happening in football elsewhere in europe . How different is the approach there . It isa how different is the approach there . It is a really mixed picture elsewhere across the continent. You mentioned at the start that the dutch fa have taken that decision to com pletely dutch fa have taken that decision to completely cancel the two top leagues. There will be no champion,
no relegation, no promotion. Major sporting events cancelled there until september and the president of the fa there has said that he expects the chances of any football taking place across europe this season to be very slim. Belgium look like they may be following the same view. 0fficials there will be meeting on monday to discuss what to do with the league. They are expected to cancel it and the current standings to remain in place. Italy not yet ready to announce a date for the return to football. Spain have tentatively said that players may begin training around the start ofjune. The only country with a concrete date in the diary for the return of football is germany. They have ambitious plans to restart the bundesliga on the 9th of may. Germany has begun the relaxing of its lockdown rules. So, germany are ahead of the uk in terms of lifting restrictions but there is no guarantee that football will begin ina no guarantee that football will begin in a couple of weeks time and
if major league does get back on the pitch, it gives others hopes that others will follow. Thank you very much. Nhs england have announced a number of new deaths in the last few minutes was not what are the figures showing us . The number of deaths yesterday it was at 19,506 and there have now been another 711 deaths. That is just in england and we are still waiting for the figures from wales, Northern Ireland and scotland. So, of course, that takes us over scotland. So, of course, that takes us over 20,000, roughly 20,200. As we know, the scientific adviser had stated, going back to march, that they hoped to keep the number at 20,000 or below. Now it is above 20,000. They are also saying that
the number of deaths will keep increasing quite significantly, this was said a few days ago, for around about two weeks, so quite a significant increase beyond 20,000 over the next ten days or so. Of significant increase beyond 20,000 over the next ter hearing so. Of significant increase beyond 20,000 over the next ter hearing in. Of significant increase beyond 20,000 over the next ter hearing in recent as we have been hearing in recent days, there has been a very significant number of deaths in care homes. 0riginally, it was around about in the few hundreds, it went up about in the few hundreds, it went up to 1000 and there is modelling now suggesting it could be at least
2000 deaths in care homes in england and wales. So, if you start putting those figures, there have also been deaths in hospices and also deaths at home. So the totals go up and up. You mentioned the fact that we are likely to see the death toll increasing over the next two weeks. The uk is into its second three week lockdown. Would it be sensible to think then that this second three weeks is not going to be the end of the lockdown . That is a really difficult one to call. We dont know stock that is a massive, Massive Decision for the government because of course, continuing the lockdown suppresses the numbers but the impact on the economy gets worse and worse and of course, already, we know there are lots of people, including politicians, saying that we are going to destroy the economy if we keep going at lockdown. Richard, for the moment, thank you very much. Just to confirm that nhs ingrid has confirmed 711 new deaths of people in hospitals in england. Nhs of people in hospitals in england. Nhs england. Youre watching bbc news. Australians and new zealanders are observing anzac day, their annual commemoration for their war dead, by Holding Private vigils at home. The coronavirus pandemic forced traditional memorials to be cancelled for the first time in decades. Russell trott reports. Anzac day is a day when, yeah, we do the dawn service, we march, and at the end of that, we go away to our various watering holes, pubs or clubs, and we enjoy our mates. And again, thats gonna be sad this year because we wont be able to do that. For those like ray james, who are still able to commemorate anzac day, its a chance to remember their fallen comrades. April 25, 1915, gallipoli, and one of the bloodiest battles of world war i. Thousands of troops
from the australian and new zealand army corps, the anzacs, were among a larger allied force that landed on the narrow beaches of the turkish peninsula in an ill fated campaign that would claim more than 130,000 lives. With mask gatherings now banned, political leaders join the veterans from their homes. 0n anzac day, 1919, the first after the great war, there were no city marches operates for the returning veterans because australians were battling the spanish flu pandemic. A small group of anzacs who had been arranging and tending the graves of their mates gathered and there was no pomp, at that Little Service. There were no dignitaries, no bans, just the sound of lapping water on the lonely shore. One said of that Little Service it was the real thing. And so our remembrance today, small, quiet and homely will be. Plays last post. So, as daylight broke, they put their concerns of the Coronavirus Fight to one side briefly and once more remembered those who fell in what was called the war to end all wars. As the weathers starting to improve for most of us it would be perfect, under normal circumstances, for a day out. So were bringing you the next best thing. Keepers at Edinburgh Zoo have been doing some filming to show us how the animals there are coping with the lockdown. Lorna gordon reports. The animals of Edinburgh Zoo. Lion cubs joined by other additions like this koala joey, venturing out for the first time. There are over 2,500 animals here. The keepers agreeing to film for us to show how the animals are faring while the gates are closed. One of the first things we have to do is check on all our penguins and make sure everybody is ok. The famous penguin parade is for now no longer happening but the breeding season here has started so both the penguins and their keepers have plenty to do. This is one of our breeding nests for our northern rockhoppers this year. We are currently at this moment waiting for this chick to hopefully hatch in the next couple of days. The citys zoo would usually get thousands of visitors every day. But the lockdown means pathways here are now deserted. But obviously today we are. Empty. However, weve still got a panda who is outside and having a bite of lunch so lets go and have a look at him. The solitary creatures are among the most popular animals here. Their adoring audiences may have disappeared but it has made no difference to them. With everything that is going on, social distancing isnt really a problem for pandas,
because they quite like being solitary and he certainly doesnt miss having company. A lot of people worry that if hes on his own, hes lonely. Hes not. As long as yang guang has food, he is perfectly happy. The keepers are always careful around their charges, but coronavirus means they are taking even more precautions now. We wear gloves when were handling any food or things like that, but we have started wearing facemasks all the time. One of the things that could potentially is happen is that we could pass coronavirus onto the chimps. As far as i know, there are no known cases of chimpanzees catching coronavirus but they are susceptible to things like the flu so we really dont want to take that chance. The zoo is a charity, so like other similar organisations it has worries now its income from visitors has dropped away. Its priority, ensuring the animals here receive the best care