Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20200504

Beyond italy could face too, as the lockdown leaves it scars. President trump says hes happy for the president ial election in november to be a referendum on his handling of the coronavirus crisis. And fears that the amazons indigenous population could be devastated by the virus, as the number of deaths in brazil passes 7,000 the highest in latin america. Hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. Were covering all the latest coronavirus developments here in britain and globally. Coronavirus developments first. Coronavirus developments new rules to help businesses in the uk emerge from lockdown are being considered by the government. Under draft proposals seen by the bbc ani employers x under draft proposals seen by the bbc employers would need to stagger start times and limit the amount of equipment that needs to be shared. Employers should consider providing ppe or physical screens if the 2 metre social distancing rules cant be observed. Also from today small and medium sized businesses in the uk hit by the pandemic are able to apply for loans of up to £50,000 in a scheme backed by the treasury. This afternoon World Leaders will host a Global Online summit with the hope of raising over 8 billion in funds to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. Italy is easing its coronavirus restrictions, nearly two months after becoming the first democracy to impose a Strict National lockdown. Millions of workers are expected to return to construction sites and factories. However, its a different story in japan. The countrys Prime Minister has extended the state of emergency until the end of may. First with more details on the draft uk government proposals for the workplace here is andy moore. Deserted streets, like here in leeds, are all part of our new normal, but the government is now looking at how we move out of the current restrictions. The Prime Minister is not set to publicly outline proposals for easing lockdown just yet but employers are already being consulted about a possible way forward. As part of a draft proposal, the two metre rule may be relaxed in cases where it cannot be observed, to be replaced by other means of keeping workers safe, such as physical screens and ppe. Under the plans, employers will be urged to stagger start and finish times to take pressure off public transport. Workers considered vulnerable would be put in the safest possible roles in the workplace. People who can work from home would be urged to continue doing so. That means many offices would remain closed. It is all part of a very cautious approach to easing the lockdown to avoid a second wave. The British Public have shown amazing stoicism and understanding of the need for the lockdown measures and, quite rightly, they want to ensure that, if and when they are eased, that theyre eased in a way that makes sure that the british peoples sacrifice has been worthwhile and that we continue to operate in a way which means the Public Health comes first. Another 315 coronavirus deaths were reported yesterday, across the uk, in all settings, bringing the total number of fatalities to 28,446. Today, borisjohnson willjoin an International Initiative to raise billions of pounds to fight coronavirus. He will say that stopping the pandemic is the most urgent shared endeavour of our time. Its humanity against the virus, he says, and together we will prevail. Andy moore, bbc news. Our Business Editor simon jack joined me a little earlier. He has been studying the draft guidance and explain that what weve seen so far is just one piece of the puzzle. This is just one of them and there are seven for different working environments, whether it is factory, outdoor, working at home. On this they say the two metres social distance rule should be observed where possible but where not you should look at different options. For example, rather than working face to face at a workstation, working back to back or side by side, possibly putting up a screen and also using ppe, personal protective equipment. If we go to the section on ppe, it is entirely blank. All it says is more detail to follow. Not for the first time, the acquisition of ppe equipment is a vexed issue. Unions say employers will have to provide this stuff so where will they get it from. Will we end up where businesses are competing for millions of masks directly with the nhs . How will that be sorted out and at the moment that bit is blank. Italy is easing its National Lockdown today the worlds longest of the coronavirus pandemic. Takeaways and parks are reopening, funerals can resume and some businesses are restarting. But the shutdown has left deep scars in a country with already serious economic problems, as our correspondent mark lowen reports from naples. Italy is starting to reopen, but champion pizza maker teresa iorio cant. With new rules only allowing takeaway for now, she will need more time to adapt and, after eight weeks of lockdown, she has taken such a financial hit that her business will struggle to survive. Translation it would be better to die than not to reopen, because it would kill my dreams for which ive sacrificed my life. It would mean losing my livelihood because my life is my work. I open the shutters in the morning and this is money for my sister, my niece, for me to live. A city of pizza, of spirit, of tattered beauty and past glories has been pummelled by the worlds longest lockdown of the pandemic. We were taken to see one of the roughest parts of one of the eus poorest regions and, in a place where the mafia typically profits from poverty, theres a fear they are doing it again. Until about 10 years ago, this was a no go zone for police. Through the image of social decay, the security has improved here and yet this crisis has reawa kened long standing concerns about organised crime preying on hardship and it is what many other poverty hit areas well beyond italy could face too, as the lockdown leaves its scars. Carpenter raffaele tells me he has not worked in almost three months and may have to sell his television to get by. Theres been lots more crime since the lockdown, he says, even kids dealing drugs and stealing cars, since theres no work and they need to eat. Fighting the resurgence of the neapolitan mafia, the camorra, is this ngo, run by a priest, under police protection. They make up boxes of supplies for those in need, to stop criminal groups from stepping in instead. Translation the camorra is taking advantage of this current vacuum. They have always exploited italys moments of weakness and this is one of those moments. They provide help to people but then ask them to deal drugs in exchange or give them money. We have to give citizens the antibodies to defend themselves, to stop the camorra from reclaiming this territory. Singing. In the old town, musical solidarity, baskets hung to take donations from those who can, and give to those in need. A Health Crisis has become a social and economic one. The swansong of a lockdown that has halted the virus but wounded this country. Mark lowen, bbc news, naples. Several other European Countries are also taking the First Step Towards lifting their lockdowns including portugal, spain, croatia and greece. And in germany, hairdressers and barbers can open today, for the First Time Since the lockdown was imposed six weeks ago. Customers and staff will have to wear masks, and therell be no hot drinks or magazines on offer, because of the risk of infection. Many businesses say theyre booked up for weeks in advance. President trump says he hopes the president ial election in november turns into a referendum on his response to the coronavirus pandemic thats because he believes hes done a greatjob. In a televised town hall event broadcast by fox news, mr trump insisted his decision to impose restrictions had saved lives, and rejected claims that he had failed to act quickly enough. David willis reports. That was a great man. In the shadow of the man who led america through the dark six days of the civil war, donald trump, a self declared wartime president , sought to relaunch his president ial campaign with a steady stream of optimism about this countrys ability to bounce back from the coronavirus. We want to go back to work quickly, but safely. And that is what is happening. Next year, i think, well have a great economic year. Having hailed the development of an experimental antiviral drug called remdesivir to treat patients with covid i9, the president said a vaccine would be available earlier than his medical advisers have so far predicted. We think we are going to have a vaccine by the end of this year and we are pushing very hard. We are Building Supply lines now, we dont even the vaccine yet. Doubling down on assertions that the virus came not from a wet market in wuhan, but from a nearby laboratory at the city s institute of virology, mr trump said china had a lot of explaining to do. My opinion is they made a mistake, they try to cover it and try to put it out, like a fire. Its really like trying to put out a fire. They couldnt put out the fire. What they really treated the world badly on, they stopped people going into china, but they didnt stop people going into the usa and all over the world. Monday sees the return to washington of the us senate, and having already approved 3 trillion in aid, the president hinted congress could have more to come in an effort to rebuild this economy. Although some states are slowly reopening, they are not doing it quickly enough for some residents. President trump expressed sympathy for those who have protested lockdown orders in several states. Responding to claims he acted too slowly to stem the spread of the coronavirus, mr trump said his actions had saved thousands of lives. We are going to lose anywhere from 75, 80, 100,000 people. Thats a horrible thing. We should not lose one person over this. This should have been stopped in china. It should have been stopped. But if we didnt do it, the minimum we would have lost is a million two, a million four, a million five thats the minimum. The president is not without his supporters, however. In florida, where marinas recently reopened to the public, hundreds of boats gathered near his winter retreat at mar a lago to stage a nautical parade. Having left the white house for the first time in more than a month over the weekend, mr trump is due to travel to arizona in the next few days, and he is not ruling out the possibility of Holding Election rallies in a few months time. David willis, bbc news. Borisjohnson will today co host a global summit hoping to raise more than £six billion, or 8 billion, to develop vaccines and treatments for covid i9. The Prime Minister will tell the online gathering of political and Business Leaders that the race to stop the virus is the most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes. The conference will be co hosted by the uk, the European Commission, canada, france, germany, italy, japan, norway and saudi arabia. Lets get more on this now with margaritis schinas, Vice President of the European Commission. Hejoins me from brussels. I have just mentioned the list of countries. The us and china are not pa rt countries. The us and china are not part of this today. Is that a problem . This is not a competition between blocks. This is a collective global effort. We are facing a global effort. We are facing a global threat and we have to be able to provide a global response. We are delighted that together with the European Commission and other like minded countries, including the United Kingdom, we are today starting a process of raising money that will allow us to develop not only therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostics, but could also help us support these parts of the world that are more vulnerable, like africa and latin america. It is a laudable goal, but in truth there is a competition going on around the world between different groups of scientists to develop a vaccine first. Well, this is a fact. What we are trying to do with our pledging initiative today is to raise the amount of money that would allow for equitable and fair access to the vaccine once the vaccine emerges. We would also help Ongoing Research efforts, innovation efforts, but we are not going to privilege one track against the other. This is the meaning of this pledging initiative, to allow forfair meaning of this pledging initiative, to allow for fair and equitable access to allow for fair and equitable a ccess 0 nce to allow for fair and equitable access once the vaccine is available. What does that mean in practical terms . How will you spend the money to make sure there is fair access for all to a vaccine . At the first stage of the covid i9 crisis, we saw the limits of uncoordinated action by Member States. We saw export bans and fragmented efforts around the provision of personal protective equipment. This is something we cannot afford to see happening once the vaccine is available. So together with our partners, not only the co hosts, but also the who and the gates foundation, the wellcome trust, among others, Renowned International partners, will make sure equitable access to vaccines will be in place. Iam glad access to vaccines will be in place. I am glad you mentioned what you describe an uncoordinated response from eu Member States because the italian Prime Minister warned the eu could fail as a project because of coronavirus and your Commission President offered a heartfelt apology to italy for the eu response. Why do you think you were slow to act and what impact could that have on the future of the eu . |j think that have on the future of the eu . think the first stage of the pandemic, the governments of Member States, in the light of this unprecedented crisis, but also in terms of intensity, they felt a National Response would be more adequate. This was the problem. Then we went through a second phase of convergence where Member States realised how much they have in common and saw the interdependence of our internal market and the need to ensure supply chains. And these convergence phases leads now to this third phase, which is the solution phase where we act in a more coordinated way and take decisions together and hopefully this pledging initiative is one of the most tangible signs of this third phase, what we are calling the solution or the exit phase. But if convergence had happened earlier, could lives have been saved . Yes, but, you know, one of the things thats not widely known, there is an asymmetry of expectation between what people expectation between what people expect from the European Union and what the European Union is actually competent for, and responsible for. We have to be very honest, in the area of Public Health, the European Union has practically no competence, according to the treaty. So our only role would be to help coordinate effo rts role would be to help coordinate efforts by Member States. I think pa rt efforts by Member States. I think part of the problem in this early phaseis part of the problem in this early phase is that people were expecting much more from the eu without actually knowing that the eu does not have the legal instrument or basis to offer that immediate help. That may be sold legally, but it doesnt stop you trying to bang heads together, does it . Thats exactly what we did. But not soon enough, you have just exactly what we did. But not soon enough, you havejust told me that if you had converged earlier than lives would have been saved. Yes, because in areas that pertain to the way the Health Care Systems are organised, these are national decisions. When it came to making sure that Member States could, together, through common tenders, by public protective equipment, we did that. When we forced Member States to coordinate restrictions on eternal borders to make sure these green lanes could ensure goods in supermarkets, we did that. On internal borders. When we try to inject flexibility in state aid rules and public procurement rules, we did that. But we did that at a moment where much of the damage has already been done by uncoordinated action from Member States early on. When will thejoint eu action from Member States early on. When will the joint eu procurement scheme for personal protective equipment and ventilators deliver any products, or has it done so now . As you know, this is one of the first processes that allowed our Member States tojoin first processes that allowed our Member States to join forces and collectively optimise their access to ppe. All these procedures on masks and ventilators are ongoing andi masks and ventilators are ongoing and i am very comfortable that results are coming in. In any case, without this joint public procurement effort, many Member States would be practically unable to access these goods individually. But no items have been delivered so far, is that correct . No, that is not correct. Some items have been delivered and others are being delivered and others are being delivered and others will be delivered and others will be delivered in a few weeks. That is my understanding of how the procurement call this our evolving. I want to ask you about brexit, if i may. I am broadcasting from the uk. The British Government says it has no intention to extend the brexit transition period. Do you think of Free Trade Agreement between the uk and eu can be done in a time left up until the end of the year . As you know, Michel Barnier and our teams are continuing to engage and negotiate with british counterparts, even during this difficult time. Of course, we have a common objective, to get something going for the ist of january, when the transition period expires. By the way, i think it is quite fortunate that the United Kingdom goes through the pandemic with the certainty of being pa rt pandemic with the certainty of being part of the Single Market. I dont wa nt to part of the Single Market. I dont want to think what would have happened in the uk if the country would have been subject to the crisis having been out of the Single Market, as a cliff edge exit would have implied. But that is a parenthesis only. Do you think the uk would have coped less well with coronavirus had we been outside the eu . Absolutely. And what is your evidence for that . Part of the success of our supply chains and Single Market that kept supermarkets and markets stocked during these difficult times, is precisely because the Single Market make sure it happens. Its an fortunate thing that we insisted the uk be part of the Single Market for the transition time. But for the future, we will continue to engage in good faith with british partners and we are hopeful we can have the outlook of a future agreement by the ist of january. 0k, thank you for talking to us and we appreciate your time. That was the Vice President of the European Commission on the global summit that is going to be co hosted by various nations this afternoon to raise funding for pursuing a vaccine. The Scientific Committee that advises uk government ministers on coronavirus has been criticised for being too secret. The names of some of its members are not public. So an alternative to the official committee, the Scientific Advisory group for emergencies or sage is being set up. And the rival group of 12 experts will meet today live on youtube. Theyre calling themselves an independent sage and say theyre concerned about the makeup and expertise of the official committee. The meeting is being chaired by the former chief scientific adviser, sir david king, who joins us now. You will be chairing that meeting this afternoon. Good morning. Whats your issue with the Scientific Advisory group on emergencies . dont have any issue with the science advice going on from scientists in that group. In fact, this is more a unity of science views that we are seeking here. We are bringing together a group of experts across this country, but also from overseas, to advise us on how we move from the present day, through the lock down and out of it. The idea of this advice is based on two simple premises. One is that with the least number of further facade further fatalities, with the least number of further facade furtherfatalities, and the next is to return the country as quickly as possible to normal economic behaviour. The application seems to be that your group will potentially come up with Something Better than sage. Is that fair . What we will do is put our advice and to the Public Domain. For me thats the most important thing. Any science advice should be open to the public so that the public can see what advice is going into government, and then when the government says it is simply following scientific advice, you in the media and the public can judge for themselves whether or not thatis judge for themselves whether or not that is happening. If the minutes of sage were to be published, you wouldnt be setting up this alternative group, is that right . That would certainly help enormously. It would also have helped if the membership of sage had not been treated as secret. What are you see as much more of a command and control situation, which parallels what happened during the bse crisis in the run up to the year 2000. We had a Philips Commission report into that crisis which said we must never again be in a situation where in effect ministers are telling scientists what to say and then say they are following the science advice. That was a conclusion reached by the Philips Commission report about the bse crisis. If you remember, the Prime Minister going on television and feeding his daughter a hamburger to show british beef was safe. This was happening at a time when scientists we re happening at a time when scientists were beginning to be worried about cjd emerging in human beings from cattle and cows that had bse. My real problem is when the ministers say they are following science advice, that only has meaning if the science advice is in the Public Domain. Fair enough. Professor brian cox said recently that anybody, not just politicians, but anybody who says they are following the science doesnt understand what science is. Science is doubt and uncertainty and disagreement. It is not a settled thing. Is that how you see it . Its not quite how i see it and its not how brian cox sees it. If scientists tell you exactly when the next full eclipse of the sun is going to occur, i think you can bet they have got it within the nearest second and where you would see it. So, some science is not open to question. There are complications from an academic because this is an entirely new virus. We have not seen anything like this before. However, when it comes to handling an epidemic, there are certain modes of operation that have been very clearly sorted out by the Scientific Community working in this area. The simplest mode of operation is you must get ahead of the spread of the virus. You must act quickly. The exemplar our country in europe has been greece, and in greece, three days before the first death in greece, unlike any other country in the world, greece started doing the business of going into lockdown. This was on the week beginning march three when they began this process. The result is the number of fatalities in greece per head of population is certainly heading towards being the lowest in the world. The result is that greece is emerging from its lockdown, from today, may four, and they have put into the Public Domain very clearly what the procedures will be for gradually releasing people back to normal behaviour. It is quite a long process , normal behaviour. It is quite a long process, but it has been put very clearly into the Public Domain. Does it therefore follow, from what you have just it therefore follow, from what you havejust said, it therefore follow, from what you have just said, that if the uk it therefore follow, from what you havejust said, that if the uk had started testing earlier and if lockdown had been brought in earlier, the uk might have a lower death toll right now . earlier, the uk might have a lower death toll right now . I dont think there is any mite about it, of course it would. If we had moved, and if you remember, january 23 is when we had a very detailed account on the nature of the virus published in the medicaljournal, the lancet. I dont think there is any might about it. We knew the details of this at that moment in time. We knew how infectious and hidden it was and we could have taken action immediately. I am quite sure that the number of fatalities per head of population in britain would be down there with greece if we had done that. But the point of this exercise todayis that. But the point of this exercise today is not to rake over those calls. What we are doing is looking forward from where we are now into the future. We want to look at what is the best way to emerge from lockdown and how do we move forward as we do come out of lockdown. One of the issues that is raised in your discussion with the European Union before i came on, is the issue of vaccines. We need to think well ahead of this. Yes, we do have a vaccine workforce and a vaccine star, only appointed a couple of weeks ago, that is true, but do we have the manufacturing capability for vaccines and could we possibly build a large factory that would produce enough vaccines for europe and possibly for the developing world . And possibly for the developing world . Might we have a vaccine tsar. I think we could do that and there is potential. Are we managing to do all these things . When i hear governments say we must cope with whatever we can do in the National Health service, this is not what other countries are doing. They are saying, this is what needs to be done, therefore we have to increase the number of doctors and nurses and health care workers, they have been increasing capacity to handle the epidemic. As we come out of lockdown, i would say one of the pieces of advice has to be that when you are shopping, when you are out with other people, even two metres apart, you must legally be required to wear a face mask. Have we got facemasks in this country, and if not, why werent they stored up from february and march when we knew this demand would come into play, just as they have done in greece . So i think we must not look at being constrained by what we have at the moment. We have enormous capacity in this country to build up the reserves that are required to manage this really deadly disease. Thank you very much. The former chief scientific adviser, sir david king. Thailand is starting to ease the lockdown imposed on businesses and public activities six weeks ago to address covid i9, after weeks of falling infection rates. The number of new cases has dropped to fewer than ten in recent days, but the government is keeping the ban on some businesses, like night Time Entertainment venues, and imposing strict distancing and hygiene requirements on those that are allowed to reopen. This report from Jonathan Head in bangkok. A month into thailands lockdown, and people are running out of everything. Theirjobs have gone, their money has gone, and theyre lining up for food hand outs. Right now, this is all this woman says shes got left. Its about three us dollars. They get a meal of rice and chicken, and a drink donated by a wealthy family. And for some, its the main meal of the day. Thailand is not a poor country, but its not a rich one either, and millions of people whove lost theirjobs have got no social safety net, no savings. Theyre now dependent on these hand outs. The railway line running out of central bangkok is where some of those whove just collected their free meal live. Theyre drivers and street sellers the kinds of casual jobs that vanished soon after the covid i9 crisis struck. Translation when this disease began, i lost everything. I have nothing left. I used to earn 10,000 baht every month. This is the most difficult time i can remember. Desperate people besieged the finance ministry recently, after being rejected for a cash hand out from the government. 28 million applied double the numbers theyd budgeted for. Tourism which used to account for around a fifth of thailands gdp has collapsed. Once popular sites are now deserted. Bangkok is one of a club of cities that have grown rich on the spoils of global trade and travel, and are now emptied by a virus that moves along the same global paths. Jonathan head, bbc news. Here in the uk, a National Health Service Smartphone App to help trace people who may have been infected by the virus is being trialled on the isle of wight this week. At least half the population there will have to download it in order for it to work. It will then be rolled out more widely. Richard quigley is from the isle of Wight Labour Party and was the partys parliamentary candidate at the last election. Hejoins us now from cowes on the isle of wight. Hello to you, good morning. Morning, thanks for having me on. How do you react to this app being trialled on the isle of wight . Anything that im proves the isle of wight . Anything that improves the well being and safety of our residents, i support. My concerns are around things such as data use and security, which are valid, so i am seeking further meetings with nhs officials this week. But it is very important that week. But it is very important that we realise this is just an app, a small piece of a much biggerjigsaw of the test, trace and isolate scheme. I dont want people to think that this app will give them an electronic vaccine. It doesnt grant immunity and doesnt mean we can ignore social distancing guidelines, which is the real thing i am worried about. It really cant foreign the basis of an early lifting of lockdown on the island. We have a lot of population over the age of 65. I dont want to be guinea pigs for testing an early lifting of lockdown. I some people saying they do feel like guinea pigs, are you saying that . Well, people are worried. People get worried when they hear things because it could have been briefed better by our councillor and mp. Information dripped out bit by bit over the last couple of weeks and grant shapps announced it yesterday on sky news before anyone here, or certainly residents, knew about it. I did speak with our local mp this morning and he has assured me that it will not lead to the early lifting of lockdown. With that proviso i am supportive of the app. We need to remember it is just an app, this supportive of the app. We need to remember it isjust an app, this is not giving us immunity from this terrible disease. Of course not, no. How many of the islanders, what proportion, would have to download it for it to be effective, do you know . I am led to believe that 2096 will give useful information, but it really needs to be 50 and above for it to be useful. That is part of the problem. In our local radio this morning, a caller said they dont own a mobile phone and we have lots of people over the age of 65 that are not necessarily users of smartphones. But people of all age groups. I believe if you are under the age of 16 you cannot download the age of 16 you cannot download the app. Again, this is a problem with what we do with tracking and tracing children. Crucially this is just the app, i am not against the trial, i am just the app, i am not against the trial, iam not just the app, i am not against the trial, i am not being awkward for the sake of it. I want to put the well being of our residents first and for most. Thank you very much for talking to us, thank you. Richard quickly from the isle of Wight Labour Party. Russia has reported over 10,500 cases in the last 26 hours. State tv has warned russians that in the battle against the virus the stakes have become unbelievably high. Officials are urging the public to stay at home and not be tempted by the may Public Holidays in the country to flout the lockdown measures. Japans Prime Minister shinzo abe has extended the countrys state of emergency until the end of may, amid warnings that relaxing lockdown measures too early could risk another wave of infections. The state of emergency was due to be lifted on wednesday the last day of a week Long National holiday. Mr abe has warned of a drawn out battle against coronavirus. With more than 100,000 confirmed cases and 7,000 deaths, brazil has now surpassed china, where the outbreak started but experts are warning the true numbers are far higher. Already, the Health System in the amazon has collapsed, and theres real fear the virus could devastate the vulnerable indigenous population in the region as well as its land. Our south america correspondent, katy watson, reports. In the middle of the rainforest, the virus has taken hold. This is manaus, the biggest city in the amazon, where theyre digging mass graves known as trenches. How else can the overwhelmed authorities cope with the numbers of people dying . Manaus is at breaking point it has one of the highest infection rates in the country and one of the most underfunded Health Systems. This video, shot inside one of the hospitals, shows body bags lying next to those gravely ill. Manaus is home to many indigenous communities where poverty, malnutrition and displacement make tackling the virus an even bigger challenge. History has taught people here that viruses from outside bring devastation. Their only defence now is home made masks, but much more is needed to protect them. Translation we already have lots of people in the community with symptoms. But we dont have a doctor here. We dont have a nurse who looks after us. Indigenous communities in the city struggle to Access Health services and they are struggling to work too. Those living deep in the rainforest face even bigger challenges. The closest medical help is often days away by boat. Some communities have shut themselves away, fearful of contagion. Protection agencies are no longer on the ground and that has huge consequences in a country where illegal loggers and miners have been emboldened by a government set on developing the amazon. Translation we cant forget the attacks that keep happening and are never resolved. Covid 19 kills with an illness. Here, people are killed either through abandonment or contamination. Invaders are coming in and taking advantage. They arent in quarantine. They are using this time to explore and they are the principal vectors. Deforestation rose more than 50 in the first three months of this year, and there is an added urgency as fire season begins in a region already struggling with the covid 19. We will have these two big problems together. As we saw in the last year, when you have a lot of fires, you have people going into the hospital. When the hospitals are completely full of people with covid 19, it will be madness when the fires start this year. The death toll keeps climbing and there is no peak in sight. And little protection for brazils most vulnerable people. Katy watson, bbc news. Well, lets get the picture on the ground sam cowie is a journalist in sao paulo in brazil and we can talk to him now. Tell us how the brazilian president has been handling this. The brazilian president from the start has consistently sought to downplay the coronavirus pandemic. First he referred to it as a fantasy. You know, basically thought up by the media to harm his mandate. He has co nsta ntly media to harm his mandate. He has constantly referred to it since then as just constantly referred to it since then asjust a constantly referred to it since then as just a little flow and even yesterday in the capital brasilia little flu. He met hundreds of supporters outside the president ial palace in a kind of rally against brazils democratic institutions, namely the Supreme Court and congress. So, yeah, brazil is in a very, very volatile situation. You have the coronavirus pandemic with climbing death toll that is greatly, greatly underestimated at the moment. 7000 official deaths but the most reliable data on the ground where i am, which is the most reliable data in the country, suggests the total could be up to three times that. And then of course you had an economic recession caused by virus and a political virus that threatens Jair Bolsonaros political mandate. He is totally in survival mode. Far flung indigenous communities in the amazon, to whom the president has always been very antagonistic to anyway, derek is certainly a great deal of trouble because of this pandemic there is certainly a great deal of trouble. Why hasnt he taken it seriously . Well, its a difficult question. What we have seen from the beginning is him prioritising the economy. He believes that there will be more people that will suffer as a result of the economic recession than will lose electives or friends or loved ones due to the pandemic and the disease itself. He is essentially preparing the groundwork for when the inevitable economic recession comes, that he can blame the governors and mayors and cities that prioritised social distancing, essentially. But it is quite a risky gamble. Like i said, there are 7000 official. That is the death toll at the moment. It is climbing each day and it is considered to be greatly underestimated. So once the real peak of the virus begins here, which is expected to begin either this week or next week, like i say, with the combined impact of the position and mystic bolsonaros crisis he finds himself in since his Justice Minister quit last week, accusing him of interfering with the federal police, it is a very volatile situation here in brazil. Thank you very much, sam. Weve been asking today if you are lonely in isolation after anastasia tempest had tweeted me. Shes lived alone all her adult life and is finding the lockdown here in the uk hard. She said she was on her own and feeling depressed. She has cerebral palsy, and has been self isolating in herflat in north london. Heres a little of what she told me. Its the isolation, but, like, double isolation. As i mentioned to you when you telephoned, i have a care background, i dont have any support system. I have cerebral palsy. So the combination ofjust being absolutely left on my own. And im finding things incredibly difficult because i feel that my health is actually deteriorating. Also, i dont have actually have an electric wheelchair that works, so the combination of absolutely everything. And ive just been let down, ignored, and ijust feel that nobody gives a damn. Well, as you heard there, anastasia said she doesnt have a working electric wheelchair. Viewerjohn bull was watching. He lives in southampton and you would like to help, how . he lives in southampton and you would like to help, how . I have an electric wheelchair, brand new. She is welcome to it. How do you have a spare brand new electric wheelchair that you can give away . spare brand new electric wheelchair that you can give away . I bought it for myself and i dont really like it. Iam not for myself and i dont really like it. I am not very comfortable on it. Its one of the super lightweight ones, andi its one of the super lightweight ones, and i feel its one of the super lightweight ones, and ifeeli its one of the super lightweight ones, and ifeel i want its one of the super lightweight ones, and i feel i want to do something for this girl. That is very, very, very generous of you. What did you think when you are listening, watching anastasia . What did you think when you are listening, watching anastasia . She is having a rough time, the poor girl. And im lucky, im very lucky in life, and i want to do something for her. Well, we will pass your number onto her, if thats all right . Certainly, yes. And thank you so much for getting in touch and letting us know how you can help. Really, really appreciate it and lets hope we can facilitate that and get the electric wheelchair from southampton to london somehow. Thank you. My pleasure, thank you. Stay safe, wont you . I will do, and you. Bye bye. Safe, wont you . I will do, and you. Byebye. So many of you have offered to help in so many different ways. This is pretty representative of the people who have e mailed this morning. I would like to call anastasia for short chaps if its ok with her. I am in my 60s and live on my own. Im not sure if im supposed to give my mobile number now but i would be happy to call her and put a smile on herface. Thank happy to call her and put a smile on her face. Thank you, happy to call her and put a smile on herface. Thank you, lily, and eve ryo ne herface. Thank you, lily, and everyone else who has offered to help in some way. New zealand and australia are discussing the potential creation of a travel bubble between the two countries. The possibility of relaxing strict bans on movement will come up in talks at government level. Both near neighbours have claimed success in substantially slowing the progress of the coronavirus epidemic to a level well below countries in europe. New zealands Prime Minister said she had accepted an invitation from her australian counterpart tojoin a Virtual Meeting of his cabinet. Its fair to say such a meeting is without precedent, and highlights both whats happened with the cooperation at state level in australia, and then also the mutual importance of our two countries and economies to each other. Both our countries strong record on fighting the virus has placed us in the enviable position of being able to plan the next stage in our economic rebuild, and to include trans tasman travel and engagement in our strategy. Teachers in england are being asked to decide what results they think pupils would have achieved in gcse and a level exams which have been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. The decision which will be made on a mixure of criteria could adversely affect pupils from bame backgrounds, as our education correspondent Elaine Dunkley reports. Students do not revise for mocks, and that is a fact. The time we start revising is from easter onwards. We work really hard for the exams the real ones, not the mocks. But now, for these a level students, they will count, along with previous homework and assessments. Teachers will decide on the grades. My name is gemma, i am 18, from west surrey. My name is imtiaz, im from london. Hi, im eloise. If, on results day, i dont achieve the grade that i want to, what happens to my chances of going to the university i want to go to . One of the first things that went through my mind was the fear of not being able to prove myself any more in real exams. It is really stressful to go through this and not know what is going on. We have been speaking with students across the uk. In these times, solutions to problems are far from ideal. I was building myself up to taking my a levels, to get the best results i could so i could go to the best university i could. I am the first in the immediate family to go to university and all the work that i put in and my family have helped me with over the last few years is alljust kind of. It feels like it has gone to waste a little bit. I think quuals system is kind of the fairest that they could do. How did you get on in your mocks . Do you think thatll be enough for you to go and study medicine . I had interviews to prepare for, so i couldnt really prepare for mocks, so i did underachieve, compared with my predicted grades. If i had got those in my real exams i wouldnt have been able to go into medicine. The exam regulator, quual, says grades awarded will be a fair reflection and students will get the chance to do resits or appeal. But there is particular concern that race and class might leave some students at a disadvantage. Naomi, what are your big concerns about the way grades are going to be decided for students . There is evidence to show that students from disadvantaged backgrounds, low income households, especially high achieving students, do tend to be under predicted. Sometimes teachers do have lower expectations of some groups, black students, for example. I remember in english, i was predicted a c, and i got an a. You are already at university, if you had to go through this process, do you think you would have got to cambridge . I probably wouldnt be at cambridge. I think it is quite common with black students to be under predicted. Just talking to other black cambridge students as well, it seems like it is notjust an isolated incident, it seems like something that happens quite often. Oh, my god i got it. There will still be the celebrations and disappointments of previous years but making the grade will feel very different in these testing times. Rose heeley is 100 years old. She has survived scarlet fever, whooping cough, measles, diptheria, two heart attacks. And this is what happened at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals nhs trust on friday. Bell ringing. Laughter yes, she was given a guard of honour by doctors and nurses at the hospital after surviving coronavirus. Shes now in isolation at home. Lets talk to roses granddaughter, tracey appleyard, and great grandson jack. Hello hello how are you . We are good, thank you. Good, and what a legend rose is as she is a star. 0h, legend rose is as she is a star. Oh, my gosh, how has she come through all that . She isjust amazing. She is just through all that . She isjust amazing. She isjust one of through all that . She isjust amazing. She is just one of the strongest women ive ever known. And is that because shes a northerner, or what . Say yeah. Yeah, of course laughter jack, tell me about your great grandma. Shesjust a character, and inspiration. Is she . Have you spoken to her since shes come out . Youre not allowed to see her, are you . We are not allowed to see her but i spoke to her the other day, my mum rang herup to spoke to her the other day, my mum rang her up to see if she was all right and rang her up to see if she was all right and i said hello to her and that. And how is she . She is all right she is glad that she is home. I bet. Tracy, how long was she in hospitalfor . I bet. Tracy, how long was she in hospital for . 18 days. And how will you at home . Presumably that was a stressful time for you will. It was worse, but we could phone her every day and the nurses on the ward were absolutely amazing with updates, keeping us on the phone, the messages. We could face time. We we re messages. We could face time. We were just messages. We could face time. We werejust more messages. We could face time. We were just more bothered about not being able to see her, that was the main thing, because she doesnt like company and likes a good chinwag and she likes to see her family. Where there are times when it was touch and go ordid there are times when it was touch and go or did it neverfeel like that from your point of view . Well, as we were not there and couldnt see her, we werejust as we were not there and couldnt see her, we were just updated from what we were told, but, yeah, we we re what we were told, but, yeah, we were all really worried and, well, were all really worried and, well, we knew she was in safe hands, she was in the best place. So we were all very positive for her. Who is going to look after her now that shes back . Well, shes got care workers going in at the moment but shes got an amazing daughter, pauline, who is her carer, always been looking after her for many yea rs. Been looking after her for many years. And im sure within the next five, seven days, shell be around there doing herjob and looking after her again. And when these restrictions ease enough and we are able to have a family gatherings again, whatare able to have a family gatherings again, what are you going to plan . Weve got too many plans shes looking forward to going to skegness, going out on drive outs for some fish and chips and just generally seeing all her family as much as she can. Give our regards to her. It is such a positive and uplifting story. I certainly will. It is great to broadcast it to the nation. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. That is rosas granddaughter, and also her great grandson. Thank you very much. Now, we were talking to anastasia tem pesta now, we were talking to anastasia tempesta earlier. She got in touch to say she was lonely and has cerebral palsy. She lived alone all of her adult life and she was feeling pretty down after self isolating since february. She came on airand talk isolating since february. She came on air and talk through stuff and she is pretty pragmatic and stoical about it. But also happened to mention that her electric wheelchair had broken, which meant she couldnt go out even if she wanted to come evenif go out even if she wanted to come even if she was allowed. And then john was watching, if you are in southampton and just came on air and said he had a spare brand new electric wheelchair and would like to give it to anastasia if she will accept it. Thank you tojohn and i just mentioned if there is anyone who could help get the wheelchair from southampton to london, please get in touch. Guess what spencer has got in touch. Spencer newton. Good morning to you. I can pick up the wheelchair from southampton and deliver it to london. I live in poole and have a small van and im happy to do it if needed. You lot are amazing, you are on fire this monday morning. Thank you very much for your company today. This is bbc news and its now time for a look at the weather. Hello, there. A bit of a weather roller coaster on the way later into the weekend, but until we get there, compared with last week, temperatures are actually on the rise this week. Most places warming up although the wind will temper things over the next few days across the south. Fair bit of sunshine at times and not a huge amount of rain, but today we do have some rain in the forecast mainly on the tail end of this weather front which is easing away as High Pressure builds in from the north. Its going to produce plenty of cloud across these eastern areas still, even into the afternoon, and whilst most will be dry, therell be a few showers around. The other sharp one across parts of Eastern England, especially east midlands, lincolnshire, maybe parts of east anglia during the afternoon. Away from that, though, as i said, most dry, fair bit of sunshine. Warmest across wales and the south west 19, 20 degrees. Feeling cool dow those eastern coasts again around ten to 16 degrees, especially where the cloud lingers throughout. Into this evening and overnight, though, the showers we see across parts of central and Eastern England will fade away. Most will be dry, some patchy mist and fog across the north but Channel Islands, devon and, cornwall, some heavy rain arriving later in the night, maybe the odd rumble of thunder. The breeze picks up, keeping temperatures in double figures here, but for most rather cool start to tuesday. Could be a little bit of frost around, the odd patch of mist or fog. That will clear and then a dry and sunny day for the vast majority. Winder, though, for northern ireland, england and wales. Rain across the south west and wales and southern parts of wales heavy initially, could get as far east as hampshire, maybe west sussex, but itll fizzle out into the afternoon. Always windiest, though, towards where that rain will be, and compared to seeing 20 degrees today 12 to 16 the high tomorrow, so feeling much, much cooler. Feeling cool across many southern areas, but further north north west england, west of scotland a bit warmer 16 to 18 degrees. The weather front across the south west will gradually fizzle out through tuesday night into the middle part of the week. High pressure dominates. Will still see some cloud and the chance of a shower or two close to cornwall, pembrokeshire, but more especially with the cloud drifting northwards across ireland. Much of england and wales, though, a sunny day in store on wednesday, feeling warmer along these eastern coasts, and all seeing temperatures lift a degree or two maybe as high as 20 or 21 celsius for some parts of central southern england. Warmer still as we go into thursday, uk wide 19, 20 degrees also possible across scotland. But, as i said, a roller coaster of a journey weather wise on the way into the weekend, because whilst we start warm, its going to turn substantially cooler with an added wind chill by the time we hit sunday. Thats how your weathers looking see you again soon. This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. The uk government outlines draft rules for businesses to follow once lockdown is eased, including reduced hot desking and staggered shift times. On the road to a vaccine World Leaders hold a global summit hoping to raise billions to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. Some restaurants and shops start to open in italy as the worlds longest lockdown begins to lift but there are concerns about the long term impact of the restrictions. This crisis has reawakened long standing concerns about organised crime preying on hardship. And its what many other poverty hit areas well beyond italy could face, too, as the lockdown leaves its scars. President trump says hes happy for the president ial election in november to be a referendum on his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Universities in england are to be allowed to recruit more students than planned, to help ease financial pressures. But therell be no drop in fees for students even if courses are online. Hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. Were covering all the latest covid 19 developments here in britain and globally. First, new rules to help businesses in the uk emerge from lockdown are being considered by the government. Under draft proposals seen by the bbc, employers would need to stagger start times and limit the amount of equipment that needs to be shared. Employers should consider providing ppe or physical screens if the 2 metre social distancing rules cant be observed. Also, from today small and medium sized businesses in the uk hit by the pandemic are able to apply for loans of up to £50,000 in a scheme backed by the treasury. This afternoon World Leaders will host a Global Online summit with the hope of raising over 8 billion in funds to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. Italy is easing its coronavirus restrictions, nearly two months after becoming the first democracy to impose a Strict National lockdown. Millions of workers are expected to return to construction sites and factories. However, its a different story in japan. The countrys Prime Minister has extended the state of emergency until the end of may. First with more details on the draft uk government proposals for the workplace, here is andy moore. Deserted streets, like here in leeds, are all part of our new normal, but the government is now looking at how we move out of the current restrictions. The Prime Minister is not set to publicly outline proposals for easing lockdown just yet but employers are already being consulted about a possible way forward. As part of a draft proposal, the two metre rule may be relaxed in cases where it cannot be observed, to be replaced by other means of keeping workers safe, such as physical screens and ppe. Under the plans, employers will be urged to stagger start and finish times to take pressure off public transport. Workers considered vulnerable would be put in the safest possible roles in the workplace. People who can work from home would be urged to continue doing so. That means many offices would remain closed. It is all part of a very cautious approach to easing the lockdown to avoid a second wave. The British Public have shown amazing stoicism and understanding of the need for the lockdown measures and, quite rightly, they want to ensure that, if and when they are eased, that theyre eased in a way that makes sure that the british peoples sacrifice has been worthwhile and that we continue to operate in a way which means that Public Health comes first. Another 315 coronavirus deaths were reported yesterday, across the uk, in all settings, bringing the total number of fatalities to 28,416. Today, borisjohnson willjoin an International Initiative to raise billions of pounds to fight coronavirus. He will say that stopping the pandemic is the most urgent shared endeavour of our time. Its humanity against the virus, he says, and together we will prevail. Andy moore, bbc news. Lets talk more now about that global summit of World Leaders that hopes to raise billions of dollars to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. Our Global Affairs correspondent, naomi grimleyjoins me now. Naomi, obviously theres a lot of work already under way with different teams developing different vaccines are just tell me a little bit more about the overall overarching aim of the summit. The overall aim is to get more coordination into the system. Of scientists are usually liaising with their colleagues around the world but, politicians arent always so good at doing that so the idea is that you make the diversity of approaches the strength here, that eve ryo ne approaches the strength here, that everyone pooled their resources and also pulls their expertise because it might be a smaller country such as cuba which ends up coming up with as cuba which ends up coming up with a solution to this problem. So today were talking about Different Countries such as britain, canada, the eu, saudi arabia, south africa figure, it is mainly hosted by the Eu Commission and the vice resident of the commission has been talking to the bbc about how it is important to the bbc about how it is important to learn from the mistakes earlier in this pandemic. At the first stage of the covid 19 crisis, we saw the limits of uncoordinated action by Member States, we saw export bans, we saw fragmented efforts around the provision of personal protective equipment. This is something that we cannot afford to see happening once the vaccine is available. Now, Health Experts say what they are worried about is so called vaccine nationalism which happened in 2009 the d h one n one vaccine wear the two countries bought it all up, locking up poorer countries h1n1 vaccine. Obviously it is a limited number of countries, the United States and china are not involved in these conversations and there is a massive prize for whoever develops this vaccine everyone around the world once. So how productive can this summer to be . As you mentioned United States, china, russia and is involved, even india which is liaising with the United States over its vaccine project isnt at the moment involved in this political project but as you mentioned the idea would be that in the end you have a much more pragmatic approach to vaccinating the most vulnerable in the world rather than just saying were going to vaccinate Americans First and then everyone else after. Thank you naomi. Let mejust bring naomi. Let me just bring you some breaking news about love ireland. There was some talk that the seven series which is planned might be happening overseas to allow it to go ahead but it has been moved to next year and the director has said it will be happening in 2021 and the host has tweeted saying that like with a lot of things, because of restrictions with travel, social distancing and unable to plan ahead, at my glove island is postponed until next year, great news because there have been more applications than any other season so love ireland next year is going to be big. They say. Love island. Italy is easing its National Lockdown today the worlds longest of the coronavirus pandemic. Takeaways and parks are reopening, funerals can resume and some businesses are restarting. But the shutdown has left deep scars in a country with already serious economic problems, as our correspondent mark lowen reports from naples. Italy is starting to reopen, but champion pizza maker teresa iorio cant. With new rules only allowing takeaway for now, she will need more time to adapt and, after eight weeks of lockdown, she has taken such a financial hit that her business will struggle to survive. Translation it would be better to die than not to reopen, because it would kill my dreams for which ive sacrificed my life. It would mean losing my livelihood because my life is my work. I open the shutters in the morning and this is money for my sister, my niece, for me to live. A city of pizza, of spirit, of tattered beauty and past glories has been pummelled by the worlds longest lockdown of the pandemic. We were taken to see one of the roughest parts of one of the eus poorest regions and, in a place where the mafia typically profits from poverty, theres a fear they are doing it again. Until about 10 years ago, this was a no go zone for police. Through the image of social decay, the security has improved here and yet this crisis has reawa kened long standing concerns about organised crime preying on hardship and it is what many other poverty hit areas well beyond italy could face too, as the lockdown leaves its scars. Carpenter raffaele tells me he has not worked in almost three months and may have to sell his television to get by. Theres been lots more crime since the lockdown, he says, even kids dealing drugs and stealing cars, since theres no work and they need to eat. Fighting the resurgence of the neapolitan mafia, the camorra, is this ngo, run by a priest, under police protection. They make up boxes of supplies for those in need, to stop criminal groups from stepping in instead. Translation the camorra is taking advantage of this current vacuum. They have always exploited italys moments of weakness and this is one of those moments. They provide help to people but then ask them to deal drugs in exchange or give them money. We have to give citizens the antibodies to defend themselves, to stop the camorra from reclaiming this territory. Singing. In the old town, musical solidarity, baskets hung to take donations from those who can, and give to those in need. A Health Crisis has become a social and economic one. The swansong of a lockdown that has halted the virus but wounded this country. Mark lowen, bbc news, naples. Several other European Countries are also taking the First Step Towards lifting their lockdowns including portugal, spain, croatia and greece. And in germany, hairdressers and barbers can open today, for the First Time Since the lockdown was imposed six weeks ago. Customers and staff will have to wear masks, and therell be no hot drinks or magazines on offer, because of the risk of infection. Many businesses say theyre booked up for weeks in advance. President trump says he hopes the president ial election in november turns into a referendum on his response to the coronavirus pandemic because he believes hes done a greatjob. In a televised town hall event, broadcast by fox news, mr trump insisted his decision to impose restrictions had saved lives, and rejected claims that he had failed to act quickly enough. David willis reports. That was a great man. In the shadow of the man who led america through the dark days of the civil war, donald trump, a self declared wartime president , sought to relaunch his president ial campaign with a steady stream of optimism about this countrys ability to bounce back from the coronavirus. We want to go back to work quickly, but safely. And that is what is happening. Next year, i think, well have a great economic year. Having hailed the development of an experimental antiviral drug called remdesivir to treat patients with covid 19, the president said a vaccine would be available earlier than his medical advisers have so far predicted. We think we are going to have a vaccine by the end of this year and we are pushing very hard. We are Building Supply lines now, we dont even the final vaccine. Doubling down on assertions that the virus came not from a wet market in wuhan, but from a nearby laboratory at the citys institute of virology, mr trump said china had a lot of explaining to do. My opinion is they made a mistake, they tried to cover it and tried to put it out, like a fire. Its really like trying to put out a fire. They couldnt put out the fire. What they really treated the world badly on, they stopped people going into china, but they didnt stop people going into the usa and all over the world. Monday sees the return to washington of the us senate, and having already approved 3 trillion in aid, the president hinted congress could have more to come in an effort to rebuild this economy. Although some states are slowly reopening, they are not doing it quickly enough for some residents. President trump expressed sympathy for those who have protested lockdown orders in several states. Responding to claims he acted too slowly to stem the spread of the coronavirus, mr trump said his actions had saved thousands of lives. We are going to lose anywhere from 75,80,100,000 people. Thats a horrible thing. We should not lose one person over this. This should have been stopped in china. It should have been stopped. But if we didnt do it, the minimum we would have lost is a million two, a million four, a million five thats the minimum. The president is not without his supporters, however. In florida, where marinas recently reopened to the public, hundreds of boats gathered near his winter retreat at mar a lago to stage a nautical parade. Having left the white house for the first time in more than a month over the weekend, mr trump is due to travel to arizona in the next few days, and he is not ruling out the possibility of Holding Election rallies in a few months time. David willis, bbc news. The headlines on bbc news. The uk government outlines draft rules for businesses to follow once lockdown is eased, including reduced hot desking and staggered shift times. World leaders hold a global summit hoping to raise billions to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. And italy, the first country to impose a National Lockdown begins to ease some restrictions with some businesses reopening lets return to those Draft Guidelines being considered by the government as a way of getting businesses in the uk to emerge from lockdown. Our Business Editor simon jack joined me a little earlier. Hes been studying the guidelines and explained that what weve seen so far is just one piece of the puzzle. This is one of them and there are seven for different working environments, whether it be factory, outdoor, working at home. On this one, they say the two metres social distance rule should be observed where possible but in circumstances where it cannot be you should look at different options. For example, rather than working face to face at a workstation, working back to back or side by side, possibly putting up a screen and also using ppe, personal protective equipment. If we go to the section on ppe, it is entirely blank. Well, all it says is more detail to follow. Not for the first time, the acquisition of ppe equipment is a vexed issue. And talking to unions, theyre saying, listen, employers will have to provide this stuff so where will they get it from. Will we end up where businesses are competing for millions of masks directly with the nhs . How will that be sorted out . And, as i say, at the moment that bit is blank. The governments100 loan scheme comes into operation today, to help Small Businesses that have been particularly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This morning, the Treasury Committee have been speaking to the bosses of some of the uks biggest banks about their ability to lend to Small Businesses during the pandemic. There is already a loan scheme in place but it is for larger loans for bigger businesses, so this is something different. Lets speak to mike cherry, National Chairman of the federation of Small Businesses. How much of a difference will this make . It should make a few difference for many thousands of businesses who have either not wa nted businesses who have either not wanted to apply for the. Loans of face difficulty in applying. These loa ns a re face difficulty in applying. These loans are for between 2000 and £50,000, the Interest Rate is capped at 2. 5 over base and i think it is going to be a life changing saver for many thousands of Small Businesses who just need the cash to tide them through until we start easing out of the lockdown situation that many businesses are in at the moment. So when you add this to the furlough scheme that has enabled businesses to effectively transfer the wage bill to the government during this period, how much of a difference is it going to make in the number of businesses being able to survive . What your concerns been in the past and how much does this change that . The furlough scheme is a life scheme that will need to be eased gently rather than having a cliff edge at the end ofjune so talking to government very clearly about how that continues to support those businesses that may not be able to open, particularly in certain sectors, but this new bounce back scheme as it is called will be a life saver for many thousands of businesses, as i say. We are still waiting for some of the glance to come through on the local Authority Grant scheme or indeed now have the confidence to apply for a smaller loan, a very quick procedure, hopefully able to get the money into their banks within 26, maybe 48 hours their banks within 24, maybe 48 hours at the most so a much simpler application process, two pages rather than up to 25 pages, no pre application and no financial figures required and 100 backed by the government to the banks. The best big step, obviously, is how easy it is going to be for businesses to react when they reopen. Ah, respondent has said that workers must be confident they are safe, businesses must be confident they will be sued if they get things wrong, and consumers must be confident that they are going to be spending money. All vitalfactors of businesses, how sweet you think this next age is going to be . Businesses must be confident they will not be sued if they get things wrong, how smooth do you think this next stage is going to be . People need to be confident that they can return to work whether that be the self employed or whether that be the self employed or whether that be Small Businesses meeting any actual input requirements to keep themselves and their families safe, so ita themselves and their families safe, so it a lot to be done, we have fed comprehensively into these and we look forward to seeing what the actual detail will be when these are produced towards the weekend or maybe even into early next week as we understand at the moment. That was the National Chairman of the federation of Small Businesses, thank you very much. Here in the uk, a National Health Service Smartphone App to help trace people who may have been infected by the virus is being trialled on the isle of wight this week. At least half the population there will have to download it in order for it to work. If it works, it will then be rolled out more widely. Michael veale is a lecturer in Digital Rights and regulation at University College london. He has helped develop Contract Tracing apps that are going to be launched in germany, switzerland and austria next week. Hejoins us from north london. Just explain how these apps will work. All apps work in the sense that you have got your telephone it is admitting some random looking numbers using bluetooth and another persons phone is really writing down the numbers that it sees. At that point there are different ways that the apps can work so the ones in germany, switzerland, and the republic of ireland are going to effectively, if you have a positive test they will send those numbers that you have sent out from your phone to other peoples phones so that they can check in the privacy of their own phone if there was a match and alert the user about the risk. In the system that the nhs is welling out and potentially france but that has not been decided by the parliament yet, the system works differently. Every of these numbers that you are minutes from your phone can be sent by someone else when they get a positive test to a central server run by say, the nhs, and they are able to decrypt these numbers and turn them into something that can identify your individual device and construct a social network of whoso who. Now there are concerns about the security of this and what happens with the data. How can people be absolutely sure that their privacy is protected here . One of the challenges with the centralised system that the nhs and potentially france are adopting is that you do create a large amount of very Sensitive Data in one place. Now, it is not a question of saying that you cant trust the nhs with using that data appropriately, of course well work with gps who are trusted to have such data but the challenges what can you build upon that. So if you choose a system that isa that. So if you choose a system that is a decentralised system where everything happens on individuals phones that had tomorrow on the day after easily turn into Something Like a traffic light system of a Health Passport and it is really limited in what can. The creek that it can become over time. However the challenges, these are big experiments, we dont know if these technologies really work yet, we havent used on a scale before, so we havent used on a scale before, so if they dont work maybe the Technology Becomes more invasive over the time and that is something that we think need serious societal debate and consideration. Can you just talk as though exactly how it works. The idea obviously is to help trace if you have been in contact with someone with covid 19. So, for instance, you have got your phone, it flashes up, it says that, what, somebody near you has got it . Can you just talk so perhaps like one, fa ke you just talk so perhaps like one, fake case study about how the chasing woodwork . Absolutely. What is different about the uk system compared to other countries is that the system is not triggering results just from a positive test but also by allowing a user to self report their systems and at that point there is a notification that appears on anyones phone that has been sufficiently know them, think about ten minutes, within about two or three metres for example, over the la st three metres for example, over the last 14 days, it wont tell you well wear, but it will say hey, please could you self isolate or perhaps ta ke could you self isolate or perhaps take similar action and the notification will come up. Some countries are setting it up so that the individual can receive a phone call but that is optional and the worry here is the quality of the data going into the system. So if you allow self reporting, france yesterday said they would never allow yourself a buzzing with this kind ofapp, allow yourself a buzzing with this kind of app, you do create the concern that people can trigger false was alerts both in a wider area but also to particular targeted people and there is no way to create a fully secure system that is a significant worry when you create this kind of app. Is a also of course to a lot of people self isolating perhaps so . Absolutely no other system is relying on this without has to trigger the alerts which raises concerns trigger the alerts which raises concerns about the uk system in their minds, but on the other hand while this does result in full is positive is potentially if people had symptoms, we are of course locked in our houses now and so we do have to compare against the current situation, but still there are many ways to do it and the controversies are appearing around the world particularly for International Travellers, given that the republic of ireland system is decentralised and the uk is proposing a centralised system there may be problems on the irish border relating to operability for International Travellers and people who live on border areas. Thank you very much forjoining us and explaining so well how those apps work. Japans Prime Minister shinzo abe has announced that hes extending his countrys covid 19 state of emergency until the end of may. Much ofjapan has been under lockdown restrictions since april the 7th, with people told to stay at home if at all possible. Our correspondent Rupert Wingfield hayes sent us this update from tokyo. There is no real surprise in this announcement, it has been expected for the last few days, but what it means is that most of japan will remain in the state of emergency for pretty much another month. Some places with very low rates of infection may be allowed to loosen a little bit, open public libraries, open some public facilities and parts, but places like tokyo, osaka, the big urban areas injapan will remain under the state of emergency, under this advisory for people to stay home if at all possible. It is not the sort of shutdown that we have seen in europe and america but nevertheless everything has slowed down here dramatically in the last few weeks but of course that is affecting the economy, hundreds of thousands of people out of work, staying at home, not able to earn a salary so this extension of another month is bad news for all of those people, bad news for the japanese economy but it is deemed necessary by the scientific advisers who are advising Prime Minister abe and his cabinet. The reason is that the number of infections is considered to bea number of infections is considered to be a threat to the Japanese Health care system. If you look at the raw figures japan looks like it is doing really well, 15,000 infections confirmed overall, around 550 deaths so far, that is way lower than most countries that have been badly affected in europe, the uk, north america, but the ratio of infections to beds and i see you beds in particular in hospitals that are able to deal in particular with sick people icu beds. What we have seen the last few weeks is that japan does not have much capacity for intensive care units, four ventilators, for the source of pp thatis ventilators, for the source of pp that is needed for doctors and nurses to treat covid patients, and here in tokyo in the Health System looked like it was getting close to the point of being overwhelmed and it is really why the experts are saying that this lockdown needs to remain in place longer. Now some breaking news to bring you saying that the minister of state for International Communist has resigned following a report from the parliamentary commissioner for standards. For international commerce. He was found to acts in breach of pa rliaments commerce. He was found to acts in breach of parliaments code of cancer by using stationery from the house of commons to write to an individual from house of commons to write to an individualfrom a house of commons to write to an individual from a Company House of commons to write to an individualfrom a company he house of commons to write to an individual from a company he was involved in a dispute with his father over the repayment of a role. Code of conduct. He was saying that his role in the public eye could attract interest especially if he was to use parliamentary privilege to raise the case, that was in breach of the rules because the letter was concerned solely with a pen so financial situation and and suggested that he put personal interest before the Public Interest by suggesting that he take advantage of his Public Office to pursue this. For many Children School closures and the restrictions on their lives are bringing new struggles. The charity, adoption uk has released new figures that show an increase in anxiety and violence among adopted children since lockdown began. Dan johnson has more. Weve had lots of angry episodes from our child. The way they behave has kind of become apparent as soon as lockdown came down. Fear based angry behaviours which come out as violence, destruction, ripping things up, destroying toys, and he has been violent towards me. Hes scared hes told us hes scared mummy and daddy are going to die of coronavirus, and hes also scared that hes going to get it, as well. Heres some ok, what shall we make out of this, then . Rachel and her husband are feeling the strain of life in lockdown with their five year old son. Hes got emotional needs, and would normally get extra support at home and at school. Hes a lovely little boy, we love him beyond measure, but we dont always know how to help him, and thats the issue with a lot of looked after children, so hes probably been through a lot more trauma than many adults will ever in their life. So trying to cope with that emotion when youre in lockdown is really, really hard. Ben is bringing up five children, all with disabilities or special needs, and hes on his own. His baby son, teddy, died just before christmas, but he adopted again two weeks ago. Were coping, as strange as it may seem single dad with, you know caring for five children with additional and complex needs, that seems a handful, but im actually really enjoying family time. I cant say im the best teacher in the world, but were just. Were getting on. Ben decided to shield his family seven weeks ago, which has meant turning down practical support. For me, my Childrens Health and well being is paramount, and im worried as a parent am i doing these things right . Theres tailored physiotherapy for each of the children am i doing these things right . And although a lot of the support that im receiving virtually because everyonesjust had to adapt virtually it isnt the same as hands on care. For some families, this is a really positive time theyre able to bond without the usual stresses of everyday life but weve heard about parents who are struggling so much that their adoption could be at risk of breaking down altogether. And for so many families, the longer this goes on, the more the pressure builds. The thought of further lockdown is filling me with dread, really, if im totally honest, because the thought of another few weeks of what weve already experienced, and again, not having those services in place, is really tough. Caring for the children is no problem you know, i can do that with my eyes shut but for me, its the getting out. I will never, ever take socialising for granted everagain everagain that is for sure ive not seen past this garden for seven weeks, and itsjust. Its just strange and surreal and worrying. And i do go to bed on a night and i am scared, and i am worried for my Childrens Health and well being, but weve just got to work through it, and hopefully, you know, things will resume to normality sooner rather than later. Hello, this is bbc news. The headlines the uk government outlines draft rules for businesses to follow once lockdown is eased, including reduced hot desking and staggered shift times. On the road to a vaccine World Leaders hold a global summit, hoping to raise billions to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. In italy, some restaurants and shops start to reopen as the worlds longest lockdown begins to lift. President trump says hes happy for the president ial election in november to be a referendum on his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Universities in england are to be allowed to recruit more students than planned, to help ease financial pressures. But therell be no drop in fees for students, even if courses are online. Lockdowns are being eased in several European Countries that were quick to adopt radical measures to halt the spread of coronavirus. Spain has allowed Small Businesses like hairdressers to operate again, a service also available across germany from today. Italys Prime Minister has urged the public to safeguard the progress made in the eight week lockdown, as the country takes further steps to reopen its economy. Parks are reopening, people can visit relatives within their region, and construction sites and factories are resuming work. David alexander is in the italian city of florence. He is professor of risk disaster reduction at University College london and joins us by skype. Thank you very much forjoining us. So progress. What is it going to look like, what is it going to feel like . This is a gigantic economic and social laboratory in many respects and therefore is extremely ha rd to respects and therefore is extremely hard to see exactly what it is going to look like. For example, here in italy i think it is perfectly reasonable and logical that industries and, aspects of commerce open, but we wait to see what the consequences of that are. I think by and large, locked and has been very successful at reducing the transmission of the disease. What we have to see now is whether reducing lockdown will cause the disease to research in any way and that will require a great deal of observation and also particular attention to things like commuting. For example, any big cities here today is the first day of commuting back to offices and many businesses that have reopened. Well, we wait to see whether in fact there is overcrowding in that. I do impact that a staggering the hours of businesses, where that is possible, isa businesses, where that is possible, is a very good idea in that respect. And what are the indications on how much people are embracing moving forward . Much people are embracing moving forward . Because there has been a lot of talk, actually, about coronavirus anxiety with people having got, you know, although obviously there have been some real downsides of being locked up at home, but then fearing what it will be like going back into contact with others outside. I think it varies with different people and the situations, particularly though, there are those people who are absolutely desperate because they are in debt or they cant pay their rent and all the problems of trying to survive when ones employment is suspended or one has lost onesjob and so on, and i think they will be very grateful if there is easing of lockdown. And what has been done to try to ensure that people can pick up try to ensure that people can pick up where they left off west in this country, there have been lots of measures put in place by the government to give businesses some financial stability. Has the same been done in italy . Yes, very much so, and there are necessary it has been as well. Also in italy there is a form of universal basic income and no doubt that has saved many peoples finances. However, i think it is most important that esr economy be restarted. I dont think there is a single duality between stopping the disease and going to work. I think there are ways around some of the problems associated with free associating socially. For example, there are businesses that are reopening that are not absolutely essential, they dont sell food or medicine necessarily, but they dont necessarily constitute a particular risk because, for example, there are shops where people can be kept a distance from each other. And in that, if we look around the town that, if we look around the town that im in now, people go out and they do their various kinds of shopping, for example, to Hardware Stores or Something Like that and a manager distancing quite well and i dont think that this increases the risk particularly, but it does increase the viability of the economy. I think that is going to be increasingly important. And other clear para meters, increasingly important. And other clear parameters, clear criteria, and what happens if the number of cases do start to increase in terms of then introducing restrictions ain . Of then introducing restrictions again . I dont think there are, but i think we all have to bear in mind that if we do get a resurgent of the disease and it may well be necessary to go back into some horrible form of lockdown, as we have had before, bearing in mind, for example, that the 19181920 bearing in mind, for example, that the 1918 1920 influenza pandemic involved a second wave that was more lethal than the first wave and some people think there was also a third wave, although others think it was the end of the second way. But it is possible for the disease to research and that has often happened with major disease outbreaks in the past, and we therefore have to try to take ca re and we therefore have to try to take care that doesnt happen this time around if we can avoid it. Then we can gradually get the economy going. David alexander, joining us live from florence. Thank you. Back now to the news that the minister of state for International Trade conor burns has resigned after the standards watchdog said he should receive a seven day suspension from the house of commons for attempting to intimidate a member of the public. Our Political Correspondent Jonathan Blake is in westminster. So the suspension happened, tell us more about exactly why and what he did. Yes, this dates back to a complaint made originally at the beginning of last year and it involved a dispute between his father and an unnamed individual working for a company over the repayment of a loan. Conor burns was until today a minister in the department for International Trade and has been an mp since 2010. He was being investigated by the parliamentary commissioner for standards over his correspondence between individual who complained and himself, primarily because of the use of house of commons stationery and the, what were described as a veiled threat that he made in that correspondence over a potential consequences if this dispute wasnt resolved and i will redo just dispute wasnt resolved and i will redojust a dispute wasnt resolved and i will redo just a little bit of what the parliamentary commissionerss report had to say, and the committee for standards in parliament, which has issued the recommendation that conor burns should be suspended for a week. It says that the overall conclusion is that conor burns used his parliamentary position in order to intimidate the public into doing as he wished and in a dispute into a purely private matters, family interests, which had no connection with conor burnss parliamentary duties. It goes on to say he insisted using parliamentary threats to use his privilege to further his interests, even during the course of the commission as investigation and that he misleadingly implied that his conduct had the support of house authorities, so that is something that was clearly judged authorities, so that is something that was clearlyjudged to be in breach of parliamentary standards and, as breach of parliamentary standards and, as i say, mps on that committee have recommended that he was suspended from the house of commons for seven days. And subsequently to that, conor burns has himself decided to resign as a government minister. He has tweeted in the last hour that it is with deep regret that he has resigned as a minister of state for International Trade, going on to say that borisjohnson will continue to have my wholehearted support from the backbenches. Thank you very much. Teachers in england are being asked to decide what results they think pupils would have achieved in gcse and a level exams, which have been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. The decision which will be made on a mixure of criteria could adversely affect pupils from bame backgrounds, as our education correspondent Elaine Dunkley reports. Students do not revise for mocks, and that is a fact. The time we start revising is from easter onwards. We work really hard for the exams the real ones, not the mocks. But now, for these a level students, they will count, along with previous homework and assessments. Teachers will decide on the grades. My name is gemma, i am 18, from west surrey. My name is imtiaz, im from london. Hi, im eloise. If, on results day, i dont achieve the grade that i want to, what happens to my chances of going to the university i want to go to . One of the first things that went through my mind was the fear of not being able to prove myself any more in real exams. It is really stressful to go through this and not know what is going on. We have been speaking with students across the uk. In these times, solutions to problems are far from ideal. I was building myself up to taking my a levels, to get the best results i could so i could go to the best university i could. I am the first in the immediate family to go to university and all the work that i put in and my family have helped me with over the last few years is alljust kind of. It feels like it has gone to waste a little bit. I think quuals system is kind of the fairest that they could do. How did you get on in your mocks . Do you think thatll be enough for you to go and study medicine . I had interviews to prepare for, so i couldnt really prepare for mocks, so i did underachieve, compared with my predicted grades. If i had got those in my real exams i wouldnt have been able to go into medicine. The exam regulator, quual, says grades awarded will be a fair reflection and students will get the chance to do resits or appeal. But there is particular concern that race and class might leave some students at a disadvantage. Naomi, what are your big concerns about the way grades are going to be decided for students . There is evidence to show that students from disadvantaged backgrounds, low income households, especially high achieving students, do tend to be under predicted. Sometimes teachers do have lower expectations of some groups, black students, for example. I remember in english, i was predicted a c, and i got an a. You are already at university, if you had to go through this process, do you think you would have got to cambridge . I probably wouldnt be at cambridge. I think it is quite common with black students to be under predicted. Just talking to other black cambridge students as well, it seems like it is notjust an isolated incident, it seems like something that happens quite often. Oh, my god i got it. There will still be the celebrations and disappointments of previous years, but making the grade will feel very different in these testing times. And just to say tomorrow here on bbc news were going to have a special day of coverage looking at how the coronavirus epidemic has affected schooling and education, both in the uk and around the world. If youve got experiences you want to share you can contact us by sending us your thoughts, questions and videos to the hashtag bbcyourquestions on twitter. University students in england will still have to pay full tuition fees, even if their courses are taught online in the autumn, the government has said. Campuses have been closed by the coronavirus pandemic and students do not yet know whether they will open from september. The National Union of students says some students are struggling with online classes because they dont have good enough Broadband Access or computer equipment. The universities minister said students would not be entitled to a discount on fees if online teaching was of the same quality as regular classes. Lets speak now to tim bradshaw ceo of the russell group, which represents 24 leading uk universities. Thank you forjoining us. Can it possibly be of the same quality if stu d e nts possibly be of the same quality if students are learning online, theres this in groups with fellow stu d e nts theres this in groups with fellow students with the close attention other teachers think it will be as close as possible as we can make it. Universities, remember, i investing huge amounts of money into translating what would normally be face to face teaching into Online Support classes. And that goes, not just for the lecture rooms, but also managing to do things like virtual field trips and lab work, and also providing the supports that students would normally get when on campus, so we are very aware of come the challenges everyone faces at this time with Mental Health and things like that. So a lot of our universities are heading up things like hardship funds and body schemes and it support in general so that stu d e nts and it support in general so that students can access support online and get the help they need when they do need it. Even so, obviously you are talking there about a lot of extra support, but still students, it would be fair for students to expect that there may be some sort ofa expect that there may be some sort of a rebate or reduction in the fees because of the fact they are not going to university. What you to that . We are planning for the next academic year, the first time anyway, so it will probably be slightly different and that may well meana slightly different and that may well mean a mixture of online teaching or blended learning where we get stu d e nts blended learning where we get students back on campus to do, sort of, a week here or there, focusing on lab work or the other intensive on campus activities they need to do. And then other areas of work with them will be online, so it is properly going to be a mixed package of delivery and that still allows these things like the one to one tutorials they would normally expect. It is just that they will be virtual rather than in a classroom. Soi virtual rather than in a classroom. So i think they will be a real effort, just coming to make sure that equality is really as good as possible. And would you expect that to be all students back . Because there has been some circulation that a rts there has been some circulation that arts students actually wouldnt go back until january. Arts students actually wouldnt go back untiljanuary. I think universities will be looking at different disciplines in terms of which ones can come back more easily. I think everyone is going to wa nt to easily. I think everyone is going to want to have a decent experience. I wouldnt think that some students wouldnt think that some students would be left out of this. It is just it may be a bit different. Some students, so if you are in a lab it may be that you can come in one week and do something very intensive and then the next week you may be studying at home. Probably the same will be true for our students as well. We are going to do our best. Lets be honest, it will be slightly different, but there is a huge amount of effort going into that challenging experience now to make it as best as possible. It is and i think it will be high quality. You know, there is a lot of work we have seen the last two weeks with us or working at home and what you can do any virtual environment, but equally in small groups, so i think that will work very well. Of course, it isa will work very well. Of course, it is a really unexpected time for the incoming cohort, the students you will not be sitting at a levels, but will not be sitting at a levels, but will be getting grades based on predictions from their teachers. Would you expect much flexibility around what has been offered . And also, does the prospect of increasing the intake give students comfort that there will be perhaps greater opportunities for what they might do next and what might normally be the case . So i think any stu d e nts normally be the case . So i think any students that get the grades that they were expecting to get should have no worries at all. All the places will still be open for them. We look forward to welcoming them. But you are absolutely right. There will be an awful lot of thought put into the circumstances that students have faced at this time and i think admissions tutors will be very much open to looking at different situations that students have faced this year and making adjustments appropriately. So we understand the clearing system will be improved this year. We will be working with ucas and the government to make sure that happens. When you say improves, in what way . I think are providing better guidance to students from the very beginning and making sure that those extra places the government has said it will fund this year are open to students and students understand that they are available. Thank you very much, doctor tim bradshaw, ceo of the russell group. Nigeria, africas largest economy, has relaxed its lockdown measures in the major cities of abuja and lagos, giving some people the chance to return to work. The countrys president , muhammadu buhari, has also introduced an overnight curfew. Well lets go live to our nigeria correspondent celestina olulode, who is currently in london. Explain how the lot and is being lifted what had if measures are still in place . So children wont be able to return to school yet and places of worship remain closed. Across the country, there has been a total of 87 deaths and just under 2600 confirmed cases. How has the lockdown affected nigerians . Well, of course it depends on who you talk to, really, so the Nigerian Medical Association say that this easing of restrictions is too premature, that it is important to remember that 50 of nigerias population live in poverty and so many nigerians that i have spoken to have told me that they need to get back to the work now, so that they can keep putting food on the table. One other thing thatis food on the table. One other thing that is important to remember is that is important to remember is that in the past week, there has been approximately 30 increase in the number of confirmed cases. And what about the impact on the economy . Well, africa, africas largest economy is set to shrink by 3. 5 . That is according to the countrys economic minister and the imf has provided nigeria with a 3. 5 billion emergency fund. The countrys president has been clear. He has said that this lockdown has hit nigeria very hard economically and that is why he is saying that it is important to protect lives, whilst preserving livelihoods. Thank you very much. A new group of experts assembled to discuss a possible way out of lockdown in the uk is to meet today. The group has been put together by former government chief scientific adviser sir david king, who worked under tony blair and gordon brown, after he said he was concerned that the Prime Ministers aide, Dominic Cummings had been present at meetings of the governments Scientific Advisory group for emergencies known as sage. Speaking to the bbc earlier, he said it was important there was a clear separation between scientific advice from experts and policy decisions taken by the government. What i see is much more they command and control situation, which parallels what happened during the bse crisis in the run up to the year 2000. We had to be phillips report condition into that crisis, which said, we must never again be in a situation where ministers are telling scientists what to say and then say they are following the science advice. That was the conclusion reached by the Commission Report about the bse crisis and you will remember a minister going on the television feeding his daughter a hamburger to show that the british people are safe. This was happening ata time people are safe. This was happening at a time when scientists were really beginning to be worried about cj really beginning to be worried about q the really beginning to be worried about cj the emerging in human beings, through the cattle and cows that had bse. So i think my real problem is when the ministers say they are following the science advice, that only has meaning if the science advice is in the Public Domain. Now, coming up in the next hour im going to be talking about what you want to be watching on tv in these times because of course the impact on tv filming and production has been immense and productions have had to cease. There are some things going ahead, which rely on individuals building themselves on their own homes and we have also just had this morning that the next season of love island which was expected to be found this summer has been delayed. Itis found this summer has been delayed. It is leading to questions in a tv and Film Industry about what sorts of things they can and should be making. I will be talking to one tv executive in the next half hour for his thoughts on that. We will also, of course, bring you up to date with all of the latest developments on covid 19 as some countries around the world start to ease their lockdown measures. Youre watching bbc news. Now its time for a look at the weather with matt taylor. Hello, there. A bit of a weather roller coaster on the way later into the weekend, but until we get there, compared with last week, temperatures are actually on the rise this week. Most places warming up although the wind will temper things over the next few days across the south. Fair bit of sunshine at times and not a huge amount of rain, but today we do have some rain in the forecast mainly on the tail end of this weather front which is easing away as High Pressure builds in from the north. Its going to produce plenty of cloud across these eastern areas still, even into the afternoon, and whilst most will be dry, therell be a few showers around. The odd sharp one across parts of Eastern England, especially east midlands, lincolnshire, maybe parts of east anglia during the afternoon. Away from that, though, as i said, most dry, fair bit of sunshine. Warmest across wales and the south west 19, 20 degrees. Feeling cool down those eastern coasts again around 10 14 degrees, especially where the cloud lingers throughout. Into this evening and overnight, though, the showers we see across parts of central and Eastern England will fade away. Most will be dry, some patchy mist and fog across the north but Channel Islands, devon and, cornwall, some heavy rain arriving later in the night, maybe the odd rumble of thunder. The breeze picks up, keeping temperatures in double figures here, but for most rather a cool start to tuesday. Could be a little bit of frost around, the odd patch of mist or fog. That will clear and then a dry and sunny day for the vast majority. Windier, though, for northern ireland, england and wales. Rain across the south west and wales and southern parts of wales heavy initially, could get as far east as hampshire, maybe west sussex, but itll fizzle out into the afternoon. Always windiest, though, towards where that rain will be, 12 14 the high tomorrow, so feeling much, much cooler. Feeling cool across many southern areas, but further north north west england, west of scotland a bit warmer 16 to 18 degrees. The weather front across the south west will gradually fizzle out through tuesday night into the middle part of the week. High pressure dominates. Will still see some cloud and the chance of a shower or two close to cornwall, pembrokeshire, but more especially with the cloud drifting northwards across ireland. Much of england and wales, though, a sunny day in store on wednesday, feeling warmer along these eastern coasts, and all seeing temperatures lift a degree or two maybe as high as 20 or 21 celsius for some parts of central southern england. Warmer still as we go into thursday, uk wide 19, 20 degrees also possible across scotland. But, as i said, a roller coaster of a journey weather wise on the way into the weekend, because whilst we start warm, its going to turn substantially cooler with an added wind chill by the time we hit sunday. Thats how your weathers looking see you again soon. This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. The uk government outlines draft rules for businesses to follow once lockdown is eased, including reduced hot desking and staggered shift times. On the road to a vaccine World Leaders hold a global summit hoping to raise billions to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. Some restaurants and shops start to reopen in italy as the worlds longest lockdown begins to lift. This is the scene live in rome as people begin to leave their homes. President trump says hes happy for the president ial election in november to be a referendum on his handling of the coronavirus crisis. And uk dating tv show love island cancels this years series due to the coronavirus pandemic well hear from Global Production company endemol on the challenges for programme making. 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, new rules to help businesses in the uk emerge from lockdown are being considered by the government. Under draft proposals seen by the bbc, employers would need to stagger start times and limit the amount of equipment that needs to be shared. Employers should consider providing ppe or physical screens if the 2 metre social distancing rules cant be observed. Also, from today small and medium sized businesses in the uk hit by the pandemic are able to apply for loans of up to £50,000 in a scheme backed by the treasury. This afternoon World Leaders will host a Global Online summit with the hope of raising over 8 billion in funds to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. Italy is easing its coronavirus restrictions, nearly two months after becoming the first democracy to impose a Strict National lockdown. Millions of workers are expected to return to construction sites and factories. However, its a different story in japan. The countrys Prime Minister has extended the state of emergency until the end of may. First, with more details on the draft uk government proposals for the workplace here is andy moore. Deserted streets, like here in leeds, are all part of our new normal, but the government is now looking at how we move out of the current restrictions. The Prime Minister is not set to publicly outline proposals for easing lockdown just yet but employers are already being consulted about a possible way forward. As part of a draft proposal, the two metre rule may be relaxed in cases where it cannot be observed, to be replaced by other means of keeping workers safe, such as physical screens and ppe. Under the plans, employers will be urged to stagger start and finish times to take pressure off public transport. Workers considered vulnerable would be put in the safest possible roles in the workplace. People who can work from home would be urged to continue doing so. That means many offices would remain closed. It is all part of a very cautious approach to easing the lockdown to avoid a second wave. The British Public have shown amazing stoicism and understanding of the need for the lockdown measures and, quite rightly, they want to ensure that, if and when they are eased, that theyre eased in a way that makes sure that the british peoples sacrifice has been worthwhile and that we continue to operate in a way which means that Public Health comes first. Another 315 coronavirus deaths were reported yesterday, across the uk, in all settings, bringing the total number of fatalities to 28,446. Today, borisjohnson willjoin an International Initiative to raise billions of pounds to fight coronavirus. He will say that stopping the pandemic is the most urgent shared endeavour of our time. Its humanity against the virus, he says, and together we will prevail. Andy moore, bbc news. Our Business Editor simonjack has been studying the guidelines and explained that what weve seen so far is just one piece of the puzzle. This is just one of them and there are seven for different working environments, whether it is factory, outdoor, working at home. On this they say the two metres social distance rule should be observed where possible but where not you should look at different options. For example, rather than working face to face at a workstation, working back to back or side by side, possibly putting up a screen and also using ppe, personal protective equipment. If we go to the section on ppe, it is entirely blank. All it says is more detail to follow. Not for the first time, the acquisition of ppe equipment is a vexed issue. Unions say employers will have to provide this stuff so where will they get it from. Will we end up where businesses are competing for millions of masks directly with the nhs . How will that be sorted out . And, as i say, at the moment that bit is blank. Borisjohnson will today co host a global summit hoping to raise more than £6 billion, or 8 billion, to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. The Prime Minister will tell the online gathering of political and Business Leaders that the race to stop the virus is the most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes. The conference will be co hosted by the uk, the European Commission, canada, france, germany, italy, japan, norway and saudi arabia. Our Global Affairs correspondent, naomi grimley, explains what World Leaders wanted to achieve from this summit. The overarching aim is to get more coordination into the system. Of course, scientists are used to liaising wth their colleagues around the world, but politicians arent always so good at doing that. So the idea is that you make the diversity of approaches the strength here, that everyone pools their resources and also pools their expertise, because it might be a smaller country, such as cuba, which ends up coming up with a solution to this problem. So today were talking about Different Countries such as britain, canada, the eu, saudi arabia, south africa. Its mainly hosted by the Eu Commission and the Vice President of the commission, margaritis schinas, has been talking to the bbc about how it is important to learn from the mistakes earlier in this pandemic. At the first stage of the covid 19 crisis, we saw the limits of uncoordinated action by Member States, we saw export bans, we saw fragmented efforts around the provision of personal protective equipment. This is something that we cannot afford to see happening once the vaccine is available. Now, Health Experts say what they are worried about is so called vaccine nationalism. This happened in 2009 with the h1n1, vaccine where richer countries bought it all up, locking out poorer countries. So thats what scientists want to ensure doesnt happen again. Obviously, naomi, its a limited number of countries the United States and china are not involved in these conversations. Also, there is a massive prize for whoever ultimately develops this vaccine, which everybody around the world wants, so how productive can this summit be . As you mentioned, the us isnt involved, china isnt involved, russia isnt involved, even india, which is liaising with the United States over its vaccine project, isnt at the moment involved in this political project, but as you mentioned the most vulnerable in the world rather than just saying were going to vaccinate Americans First and then everyone else after. Thank you naomi. Italy is emerging from its eight week National Lockdown today the worlds longest of the coronavirus pandemic. Takeaways and parks are reopening, funerals can resume and some businesses are restarting. But the shutdown has left deep scars in a country with already serious economic problems, as our correspondent mark lowen reports from naples. Italy is emerging from its eight week National Lockdown today the worlds longest italy is starting to reopen, but champion pizza maker teresa iorio cant. With new rules only allowing takeaway for now, she will need more time to adapt and, after eight weeks of lockdown, she has taken such a financial hit that her business will struggle to survive. Translation it would be better to die than not to reopen, because it would kill my dreams for which ive sacrificed my life. It would mean losing my livelihood because my life is my work. I open the shutters in the morning and this is money for my sister, my niece, for me to live. A city of pizza, of spirit, of tattered beauty and past glories has been pummelled by the worlds longest lockdown of the pandemic. We were taken to see one of the roughest parts of one of the eus poorest regions and, in a place where the mafia typically profits from poverty, theres a fear they are doing it again. Until about 10 years ago, this was a no go zone for police. Through the image of social decay, the security has improved here and yet this crisis has reawa kened long standing concerns about organised crime preying on hardship and it is what many other poverty hit areas well beyond italy could face too, as the lockdown leaves its scars. Carpenter raffaele tells me he has not worked in almost three months and may have to sell his tv to get by. Theres been lots more crime since the lockdown, he says, even kids dealing drugs and stealing cars, since theres no work and they need to eat. Fighting the resurgence of the neapolitan mafia, the camorra, is this ngo, run by a priest, under police protection. They make up boxes of supplies for those in need, to stop criminal groups from stepping in instead. Translation the camorra is taking advantage of this current vacuum. They have always exploited italys moments of weakness and this is one of those moments. They provide help to people but then ask them to deal drugs in exchange or give them money. We have to give citizens the antibodies to defend themselves, to stop the camorra from reclaiming this territory. Singing. In the old town, musical solidarity, baskets hung to take donations from those who can, and give to those in need. A Health Crisis has become a social and economic one. The swansong of a lockdown that has halted the virus but wounded this country. Mark lowen, bbc news, naples. Well, italy is starting to emerge from the lockdown, lets just go live to roam and see what things are looking like there as the lockdown sta rts looking like there as the lockdown starts to ease. Parks and public grand reopening. Yesterday the number of dead was down to 174 which is the lowest number since the lockdown began on the 10th of march but these pictures showing them live show is that it is still very very quiet on the street there. Maktoum. Or two. Several other European Countries are also taking the First Step Towards lifting their lockdowns including portugal, spain, croatia and greece. And in germany, hairdressers and barbers can open today, for the First Time Since the lockdown was imposed six weeks ago. Customers and staff will have to wear masks, and therell be no hot drinks or magazines on offer, because of the risk of infection. Many businesses say theyre booked up for weeks in advance. The uk government is expected to set out plans on sunday for easing some of the countrys current lockdown restrictions. But rail Union Leaders have expressed concern over any move to increase Train Services, saying there has been no guidance on how to ensure workers and passengers are protected. Mick lynch is from the rmt union, hejoins me now. Thank you very much forjoining us, what are your concerns . We are concerned that a general blanket increase in Train Services could be dangerous for passengers, it could be dangerous for staff, and it could be dangerous for staff, and it could bea be dangerous for staff, and it could be a Transmission System for the virus which we hope is being suppressed at the minute but if we have a blanket increase in people using the systems we can imagine for example between the tube and the mainline stations, the big conurbations around the country, manchester, birmingham, glasgow, whatever, there is going to be a loss of congestion and there will be a lot of crowding. We have not had any advice from the government that they are going to reduce social distancing and neither have they given any direction as to how social distancing will be enforced so we believe that they may be envisioning compromise and that and it may come down to a metre of another measure and we think that is a dangerous step to take. It has not been proven that now is the time next week or the week after that now is the time to safely increase the number of services all the passengers on the services all the passengers on the services and we have not got the stuff on the railway to manage that system. So what would you want to happen . System. So what would you want to happen . We have not got the staff on the railway to manage the system. We do know from the vale operator is that they intend to go to a level of Railway Services from monday the 18th possibly add to about 85 and in some cases 100 of service so we have not got a clue what the government is going to do, i dont know if theyve got a queue yet either, but we need to have a control system it would be better if the system was targeted towards incremental increases in the mass of users toward some kind of control system but we have got no idea how theyll manage queueing if they have two metres social distancing 100 on a train would mean a 200 metre queue, if you got 400 people that would mean an 800 metres queue and so on and so forth if you are running ten or 20 trains an hour after some of the main stations there will be enormous amounts of people congregating in those areas like a football stadium like a theatre or cinema or a pub. They are not opening and we dont understand why the government seems to be rushing into opening the transport system when they havent even sorted out whether it is even an advisable to wear masks for the public or the star. Eurostar is doing that from today, all services to france and belgium everyone including the staff and the passengers will be Wearing Masks but we have no idea what the governments intentions are, and i think theyre just trying to say, you take the risk to the staff, and you take the risk to the staff, and you take the missed of the passengers, its on your heads, will risk it, lets see if you do. So you saying then, sorry to interrupt, you saying then, sorry to interrupt, you saying that your union would potentially ballot for strike action or do something to stop workers going back if you are not happy with the way things are going to be set 7 the way things are going to be set up . There may not be time to ballot for strike action because of the way the laws were, we cannot react that quickly and we may not be able to runa quickly and we may not be able to run a ballot anyway because of the current restrictions but we will say is if we think it is not safe and there is an unreasonable increase risk we can advise our members that they have the right under law under they have the right under law under the health and safety at work act to remove themselves from imminent danger and if the government does not set up a proper dialect and a system of work for the transport systems including the buses on ferries as well we will have to advise our workers that they will be better off not working and it will better off not working and it will be better for the passengers better off not working and it will be betterfor the passengers and better off not working and it will be better for the passengers and the communities if we continue on very restricted services. We cannotjust have everybody piling onto the trains at the same time and therefore spreading the risk of the virus. Mick lynch of the rmt union, thank you. A British Trade minister, conor burns, has resigned after the uks standards watchdog said he should receive a seven day suspension for attempting to intimidate a member of the public. The complaint into the mp for bournemouth west alleged that he had attempted to secure a payment to his father by saying that he may use parliamentary privilege to raise the case in the commons unless he secured the payment to his father. Downing street says his replacement will be announced in due course. President trump says he hopes the president ial election in november turns into a referendum on his response to the coronavirus pandemic thats because he believes hes done a greatjob. In a televised town hall event, broadcast by fox news, President Trump insisted his decision to impose restrictions had saved lives, and rejected claims that he had failed to act quickly enough. David willis reports. That was a great man. In the shadow of the man who led america through the dark days of the civil war, donald trump, a self declared wartime president , sought to relaunch his president ial campaign with a steady stream of optimism about this countrys ability to bounce back from the coronavirus. We want to go back to work quickly, but safely. And that is what is happening. Next year, i think, well have a great economic year. Having hailed the development of an experimental antiviral drug called remdesivir to treat patients with covid 19, the president said a vaccine would be available earlier than his medical advisers have so far predicted. We think we are going to have a vaccine by the end of this year and we are pushing very hard. We are Building Supply lines now, we dont even the final vaccine. Doubling down on assertions that the virus came not from a wet market in wuhan, but from a nearby laboratory at the citys institute of virology, mr trump said china had a lot of explaining to do. My opinion is they made a mistake, they tried to cover it they tried to put it out, its like a fire. You know, its really like trying to put out a fire. They couldnt put out the fire. What they really treated the world badly on, they stopped people going into china, but they didnt stop people going into the usa and all over the world. Monday sees the return to washington of the us senate, and having already approved 3 trillion in aid, the president hinted congress could have more to come in an effort to rebuild this economy. Although some states are slowly reopening, they are not doing it quickly enough for some residents. President trump expressed sympathy for those who have protested lockdown orders in several states. Responding to claims he acted too slowly to stem the spread of the coronavirus, mr trump said his actions had saved thousands of lives. We are going to lose anywhere from 75,80,100,000 people. Thats a horrible thing. We should not lose one person over this. This should have been stopped in china. It should have been stopped. But if we didnt do it, the minimum we would have lost is a million two, a million four, a million five thats the minimum. The president is not without his supporters, however. In florida, where marinas recently reopened to the public, hundreds of boats gathered near his winter retreat at mar a lago to stage a nautical parade. Having left the white house for the first time in more than a month over the weekend, mr trump is due to travel to arizona in the next few days, and he is not ruling out the possibility of Holding Election rallies in a few months time. David willis, bbc news. The pandemic has brought much of the worlds film and Television Industry to a halt and the latest casualty is one of the uks most popular reality series love island. The dating show has been postponed until next year. It comes as top tier dramas and big entertainment shows are being cancelled and and long running soaps are running out of episodes fast. Its an issue that broadcasters and independent producers alike are feeling pressing down on them. Lets go live to peter salmon, who is the chief creative officer at endemolshine, the Company Behind some of the worlds biggest shows including big brother and the voice. Hello, thank you forjoining us. Afternoon. How has this impacted on your company . Well, it is a very challenging time but i think people are very upbeat and very resilient but we are doing our best within all the Health Guidelines to try to get back into production, learning from each other. There are some countries like scandinavia where the lockdown has been a little softer, equally in australia where we make shows like masterchef where we are learning from how they have got back to work, we are trying to learn from each other, collaborate, share intelligence information and get some more shows and get people back to work but we have got to do it within the health and safety guidelines. What you think you is one right now in terms of content . think the thing that is going to be in shorter supply of course going to be scripted programmes, is going to be scripted programmes, is going to be drama, because they are going to be drama, because they are going to be expensive and complex and we shoot them across borders, what people love at the moment it shows that feel like they are life, feel like they are of the moment, feel like they are of the moment, feel like they are events, the bbcs big night in, goggle box i think is one of those programmes, it is unmissable, and ten deck show, saturday Night Takeaway was a huge success , saturday Night Takeaway was a huge success, i think we are already piling the fact that for this summer they wont be any year though so in some ways as soon as the premier League Comeback safely and those live events that will be very welcome but i think the scripted drama isa welcome but i think the scripted drama is a genre that is going to find it toughest to get back up in volume volume. And that is the escapism that to an extent we crave right now, we want to see the reality reflected as well, it can also feel kind of odd looking at some things that were obviously filmed pre the lockdown and everyone at home obviously looking at people closely packed together and find that slightly odd. How do you think things will change Going Forward in terms of the sort of scripted dramas that i made . We are pretty smart at working out how to make things look a little bigger, make people look a little closer, even though theyre not. I think the soaps are going to be coming back fairly soon, i think already in australia neighbours is up already in australia neighbours is up and running will be seen, the bbc is going to learn from that with eastenders, coronation street and emmerdale i think over the summer will figure out how to film. I think there is more containable environments where the risk is less problematic for health but also for the investment are going to come back soonest. I think its true people will want spectacle and escapism, i think the loss of the dramas we are seeking out, whether it is the mandalorian on disney plus, whether it is the star was sort of escapism, that lovely coming of age afterlife pace which also feels grim funny but quite of reassuringly suburban i think is very popular. I think inevitably masterchef, we are learning how to shoot those shows with a bit more social distancing on a bit more safety baked into the heart of those formats as it were. We are adapting to bring people hopefully a fairly varied menu shows that they love but it is going to be about all of us learning slowly but surely how to make these things safely and cost effectively over the next few months. And i guess one of the upsides is everyones schedules have been cleared, everyone is at home and probably available, does that mean that it is kind of an exciting time for producers thinking about who they want to work with . Yes, if you look this week on itv and their isolation stories across the week, shot at home, into stars homes, written byjeff shot at home, into stars homes, written by jeff pope, shot at home, into stars homes, written byjeff pope, that is a piece of wonderful technological and creative inventiveness from itv. If you think about the talking heads series that the bbc is about to shoot, be making all those wonderful Alan Bennetts classics and a couple of new ones, i think they are going to go down very well, i think really classic dramas like normal people, the sally rooney place which is currently playing on the bbc is going to play well over time particularly if its its theyre on the iplayer and of course as well this has been the summer of the tiger king, hasnt it, where we have travelled across the lunatic fringes across South West America and onto others wonderful people. Yes, it has got us talking hasnt it all that tv that we are all pretty much what same sort of thing. You are watching bbc news. With the coronavirus pandemic widely believed to have started at an animal market in wuhan researchers are studying the global trade in wildlife as they try to find out how it leapt species to humans. There are calls for all wildlife markets to be banned as our science correspondent victoria gill reports. Captured to be sold. The global trade in wildlife is now under new scrutiny as the possible origin of this pandemic, because before the first human case, the coronavirus moved undetected across the species barrier. Genetic clues all point to a virus found in wild bats as the source, but working out exactly how the spill over from wildlife into humans happened, isnt quite straightforward. Part of the structure of every virus is essentially a key that unlocks the specific cell that it needs to get inside. Now, if you imagine each of these padlocks is from a different species cell, they might require a different key. But some very different species actually share the same lock on their cells, and in the case of the coronavirus the key from the bat virus fits and unlocks some human cells. But how did it reach that first human cell that it unlocked . Its access was most likely not directly from bats, for it via another intermediate host, an animal infected first that people came into close contact with. But scientists havent yet worked out what species passed covid 19 to a human, or whether that animal was for sale in the now infamous wildlife market in wuhan. At the moment there is nothing thats terribly convincing about finding what the intermediate host was. And indeed, the intermediate host may never be found. But mixing large numbers of species under poor hygienic and welfare conditions, and species that wouldnt normally come close together, that gives opportunity for pathogens to jump from species to species. In previous outbreaks that intermediate species has been found. Camels and palm civets have provided the likely route to humans for the closely related viruses mers and sars. And scientists have found clues about this chain of transmission in a list of animals, including rare and widely trafficked pangolins. But when wildlife is traded not only in china, but in almost any country, breaking those chains is a global challenge. This now that needs real attention. There have been various campaigns to ban all traded animals. Typically what you do then is you penalise some of the poorest in the world already further, and in many cases all youll do by introducing measures like that is to drive any trade underground. Health experts say that measures to reduce the risk of an outbreak, monitoring trade and screening for disease, have to be put in place globally if theyre to work. This pandemic may have finally shown us the real cost of the alternative. Victoria gill, bbc news. Now its time for a look at the weather with matt taylor hello there, most places staying dry through the rest of today, with a fair bit of sunshine developing more widely, but if you are in south east scotland, eastern counties of england there is more cloud remaining here and through the afternoon we could see one or two sharper showers developed anywhere through the pennines down towards the east midlands, particularly prone. But as i said, few and far between and the vast majority will stay dry. Cool down those eastern coasts though, 10 14d, warmer towards the south west and south wales, 19 20d, but colder the on the way through tomorrow. As we finish the day, the showers that are around will fade away. Most places dry through tonight, the odd patch of mist and fog across the north. Devon and cornwall will see some heavy rain, maybe even a rumble of thunder riding towards dawn, turning to 12 degrees here in the morning. Chilly pockets of fast elsewhere. Chilly rain to begin with any south west and south wales and may be as far east as the isle of wight and west sussex. Hello, this is bbc news with joanna gosling. The headlines the uk government outlines draft rules for businesses to follow once lockdown is eased, including reduced hot desking and staggered shift times. On the road to a vaccine World Leaders hold a global summit, hoping to raise billions to develop vaccines and treatments for covid 19. Some restaurants and shops start to open in italy, as the worlds longest lockdown begins to lift, but there are concerns about the long term impact of the restrictions. This crisis has reawakened long standing concerns about organised crime preying on hardship and it is what many other poverty hit areas well beyond italy could face too, as the lockdown leaves its scars. President trump says hes happy for the president ial election in november to be a referendum on his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Uk International Trade minister the conservative mp conor burns resigns after an investigation finds he attempted to intimidate a member of the public. And uk dating tv show love island cancels this years series due to the coronavirus pandemic well hearfrom Global Production company endemol on the challenges for programme making. Lets go to straight to scotland with nicola sturgeon, scott ands for her government briefing. Thank you everyone forjoining us for this breathing. I want to start by updating you on the Key Statistics in scotland for coronavirus. As of 9am this morning i can confirm there have been 12,226 positive cases confirmed, which is an increase of 169 from the figures reported yesterday. A total of 1720 patients are currently in hospital, with either confirmed or suspected cases of covid 19. That is an increase of 54 from yesterday. A total of 99 people last night were in intensive ca re people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected covid 19 and that is no change since the figures yesterday. Im also able to confirm today that since the 5th of march, a total now of 2780 patients have been tested positive and hospitalised for the virus and have been able to leave the hospital andi have been able to leave the hospital and i wish all of them well. U nfortu nately and i wish all of them well. Unfortunately though, i also have to report that in the past 24 hours five deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test is having the virus and that takes the total number of deaths in scotland under that measurement to 1576. I would ask you to bear in mind, though, that todays figure might be artificially low due to the lower levels of death registration that we know takes place at weekends. As always, i want to stress that these measures are not just statistics and to stress that these measures are notjust statistics and we should never do them as such. They represent unique and irreplaceable individuals who are being mourned and missed by their loved ones, so i wa nt to and missed by their loved ones, so i want to send my deepest condolences again to everyone who is coming to terms with a bereavement as a result of this virus. I want to thank again the health and care workers. The entire country continues to appreciate the extraordinary work you are doing. Now, i have one issue that i want to update you on today. As you know, thursday this week is the date by which mean we must review the current lockdown measures. I have said already that it is very unlikely that any change this week will be possible. Although we are making real and significant progress, and that is definitely the case, a number is still being impacted by the virus and the all important art number remain too high right now to make any be number. It remains too high to change the lockdown without that much risk. We also know that care homes continue to be a significant challenge and the person with me will say a bit more on that shortly. All things considered, although decisions are yet to be formally taken, it is very likely that on thursday i will be asking you to stick with lockdown for a bit longer. I know you understand why thatis longer. I know you understand why that is the case, but i also know it is really hard, and i know that even as you comply with these measures, you do want to see light at the end of the tunnel, so today and tomorrow building on the paper we published a week and a half ago, i want to share with you some of the work we are doing to make sure that we will be ina doing to make sure that we will be in a position to make changes to the lockdown restrictions just as soon as the evidence tells us that it is safe to do so. Tomorrow i will set out our Current Assessment of levels of infection and r number and also in general terms, the possible changes the Scottish Government will be considering a head of the next review date of the 28th of may, as we do try to get a degree of normality back into our lives, while being careful still to suppress the virus. This is where we will of course be seeking to align as far as possible with the other uk nations, but as i have said before, i primary task is to make sure that we are making the right decisions at the right to for scotland. Now, that is what i will set out tomorrow, but today i want to outline what will be a key pa rt today i want to outline what will be a key part of the approach we take when we have sufficiently suppressed the virus and are able to start moving into the next phase. And that is called the test, trace, isolate approach, or tti for short. Now is called the test, trace, isolate approach, ortti forshort. Now tti involves anyone who has symptoms indicative of covid 19 immediately isolating themselves, as everybody isolating themselves, as everybody is meant to do right now, quickly getting in touch with the nhs to arrange a test and also sharing details of the people that they have beenin details of the people that they have been in contact with. Professionals called contact tracers then get in touch with those contacts to advise them to isolate for 14 days and if any of them develop symptoms they get tested and the process starts again with their contacts. It is all about breaking the chain of transmission of the virus, but without all of us being confined to our homes all of the time, as is the case right now. Now, we havejust published a short paper outlining this approach in more detail and i encourage you, if you are able to, to read it at www. Gov. Scot. But i wa nted to read it at www. Gov. Scot. But i wanted to set out acupoints today to get you thinking about it and the reason for that is this. A test, trace, isolate approach will only work if you, the public, are willing to do what we ask of you, so it is really important to Start Building your knowledge of and confidence in such an approach now is part of that grown up conversation you know that im keen to have. The initial key point i want to make is that a successful tti approach depends first on acid suppressing the virus to as low a level as possible. It infection rates if people need tested, it could overwhelm the system, tested, it could overwhelm the syste m , eve n tested, it could overwhelm the system, even with our vastly expanded Testing Capacity. Second, tti will be a key part of our approach, but it will not on its own keep infection rates down below the r number. It is not a quick fix or a magic solution. It will have to be combined with continued social distancing, hygiene and the appropriate face coverings. Crucially, it will mean that you, the public, know exactly what it is that we are asking you to do and why we are asking you to do it and being prepared to do it. That means if you have symptoms you need to recognise them and be willing to isolate, contact the nhs and get tested, and also be prepared to share details of anyone you have been in contact with. And for all of us, it will mean being prepared to isolate for 14 days if we are contacted and told that we have been in close proximity to someone with the virus. And that, of course, could happen multiple times, with significant disruption to our lives. We also know that some people will need support to isolate and we are considering how we can provide that, drawing on the arrangements that are currently in place for the shielded group. It is also why, as you will see if you do read the paper, we are calling this approach in scotland test, trace, isolate, support. We are also making the other preparations now to be in a position to start delivering an enhanced tti approach by the end of this month. Firstly, that means continuing to expand our Testing Capacity. You will recall i told you on friday that by the middle of this month we expect to have the capacity to do 12,000 tests per month in scotland. An initial estimate, though, it is important to stress that this is still being refined, but we will need to get to around 15,500 tests per day just but we will need to get to around 15,500 tests per dayjust to support tti, so it is very clear that continuing ongoing expansion will be needed to meet all of our testing requirements. We also estimate we will need up to 2000 additional contact tracers to do the work that will be required. We are also building a digital system to make sure as much of this process as possible can be automated. Now, you might also have heard talk of an app as part of tti and i want to address that briefly as well. That is separate to the kind of digital approach i have just separate to the kind of digital approach i havejust mentioned. The kind ofapp approach i havejust mentioned. The kind of app being talked about, a proximity app, would operate on bluetooth technology. If you download it and then you tell it that you have symptoms, it will automatically alert anybody that you have been in close contact with, as long, of course, as they have also downloaded the app. The development of this app in the uk is being led by the uk government and we are seeking to maximise scottish involvement in it. We believe it could be a very important part of a tti system, but as an enhancement it is important to be clear in scotland we are not building our soul system around that. We know that a system and up like that will be dependent on the take up by the public and that in turn will help Building Confidence any technology and in the use of data, so we want to do that very carefully indeed. So i hope today, albeit very briefly, i have given you a sense of what tti involves because it is something you will increasingly being hearing in talked about. We will be getting updates on progress and further detail in the days and weeks to come, but this will be an important tool in our efforts over the next few weeks to get some normality back into our daily lives, so please, if you can, do take some time to read the paper, which as i said earlier, you will find at www. Gov. Scot. My last point for now is this one. It worked i am sharing with you today and will share with you tomorrow is, for the future. The hard fact is we will only be in a position to implement it if we continue to suppress the virus now. So i asked all of you to please stick with the lockdown rules. Over the weekend, i received quite a lot of e mails from people worried that the roads were busy again and that they were too many people on the streets and in parks. I have to be honest with you. I share that concern, though, dont get me wrong, i fully understand the frustrations that all of you are feeling. But in a few weeks, i desperately want to be standing here at this podium telling you about the steps that we are able to take to get back to a semblance of normality and my big worry is that we, if we ease up now i wont be able to do that. So please stay at home except for essential purposes like shopping for essential purposes like shopping forfood or shopping for for essential purposes like shopping for food or shopping for medicines, stay two metres apart from others when your are out for essential purposes and please dont meet up with people from other households. If you are displaying symptoms or anyone in your household is displaying symptoms of covid 19, bentley please completely isolate and dont even go out for essential purposes. What i am asking you today is please make sure we keep that light at the end of the tunnel on and lets all keep making sure that it keeps getting brighter with every single day that passes. Please dont risk extinguishing that light by easing up too quickly. So thank you very much for your continued compliance and tomorrow i will share a bit more with you about the current state of the virus and what we might be able to consider the weeks to come. For now im going to hand over to professor jason weeks to come. For now im going to hand over to professorjason leech, a National Clinical director to say a National Clinical director to say a few words and any cabinet secretary for health will say a little bit about care homes. Jason. Thank you, first minister. It is universally agreed by the clinical science, including the world health organization, that the first thing you have to do in this pandemic is control the pandemic and the first minister has made it clear that for now nothing changes. We are asking you to stay at home, to do precisely that. However, it is also agreed that. However, it is also agreed that one of the steps we will have to ta ke that one of the steps we will have to take as a country is to introduce that test, trace, isolate system. I would just emphasise the necessity for our National Health service, our laboratories, and military partners and everybody else, particularly in the testing phase. Everything they have done in the last few weeks has been astonishing to get those numbers up, but we are asking more than now. We are asking for more. The tracing is very, very familiar to our Health Protection teams around the country. They already do that for a number of infectious diseases. They have done it as part of their training and they will continue to do it. But they again will have to step up. They will need new staff and new people to help them with that and we are putting that in place in the next few days and weeks. And finally, the isolating and support doesntjust need the professionals, it also needs you. It will need you to help friends, families and neighbours. Those that cant get that that support, we will, as the first minister said, help with that support, but it is not something we are doing likely. We are asking people to do new things and we will be very clear about what we are asking you to do and when we are asking you to do and when we are asking you to do and when we are asking you to do it. I will hand over now to the health secretary. Thank you very much. I want to do two things briefly this morning, thursday to give those of you an update on the situation at home farm ca re update on the situation at home farm care home in portree and the work that has been undertaken there and is ongoing and then to touch the very briefly on all the areas where we are providing additional support, both clinical and in other ways, to the care home sector. Let me start by saying that my best thoughts and good wishes to all of those residents and staff at home farm ca re residents and staff at home farm care home and in other care homes who have tested positive for this virus. At home farm, all residents have been isolated to their homes and medical assessments are under way, being led by the local gp and advanced nurse practitioner. Led by our director of Public Health, im sure you will recall that we have given are directors of Public Health ata given are directors of Public Health at a very key role in providing clinical intervention direction and support to our care homes. Assessments have been carried out. A mixed discipline support team is in place and the care inspectorate well, i expect, undertake their first visit to that care home today. In addition, the mobile testing unit is in place and Contact Tracing is on hand. In terms of the over the role support and guidance that we have offered to the care home sector, both the private sector, the independent part of the care home sector, and the small number of care homes being run by our local authorities, starting from that clinical guidance i have spoken about before on the 13th of march we offered very clear advice about how to try to break the transmission of the virus in care homes and be that its entry into care homes. We had continue to provide clinical support through our primary care teams, now without leadership of our Public Health directors ensuring that all of the clinical support that is needed to each individual care home is provided and is provided quickly stop we have acted, as you know, to intervene and top up on the supply of ppe, where providers and ppe supply chain was not being robust enough and we continue to do that, including where it is needed, direct delivery of ppe. We had also acted to make sure that care home staff have, not only be ppe that they need, but to do the job that they are undertaking, a very important job, but also that they had the training and the confidence in their training and the confidence in their training in terms of Infection Prevention and control. We have also, from the date of our first opening of the call to return us to our nhs and to social care received just under 20,000 volunteers wishing to come back. Just under 3000 of those have previous experience in social care. We have already done all of the pre employment checks and so on and deployed 34 of those individuals into the sector and have 305 ready to be deployed when we are told that they are needed and have moved nhs staff, in some instances, into that area as well. And finally, on testing, as you know we have steadily increased the amount of testing that is available suit to social care staff, but also to residents in care homes and new admissions in care homes and, as the first minister said on friday, we have undertaken from this week and enhanced outbreak investigations in ca re enhanced outbreak investigations in care homes, where all residents and staff are often tested, whether they are symptomatic or not. And in homes where there has been a confirmed case, including looking at where there is a chain of care homes, perhaps owned by the same provider, to ensure that there is no staff transfer between one care home and another stop and finally, sample testing in care homes where there have been no cases, so that we can ensure adequate surveillance of the situation in those care homes. All of those on anything more that we believe we need to do in order to support and protect the residents and the staff in care homes we have undertaken and we are open to do. This is an area of very close focus and importance to me, to the first minister, to all those in health to ensure that the residents of our ca re ensure that the residents of our care homes have all of the clinical and all of the support that they need and the staff are equipped to do the job that is so vital and that they do that so very well. Thank you, health secretary. I will move straight to questions from journalists. Std. Matt stv. Straight to questions from journalists. Std. Matt stv. Thank you, first minister. Does todays announcement, is it an addition to the that it was wrong to abandon a policy of testing and tracing back in early march . Do now regret that policy, given it has shown to work in other countries . No, it is emphatically not that. In terms of my feelings about what we have done and not done, we have done the best that we can and take in the best decisions based on the best possible evidence at every stage of the process. In due course, all countries will look back and critically and very openly assess all of the things that we did and didnt do in order to learn lessons. We have required to build up a Testing Capacity in order to expand the testing we are doing and we will have to expand that capacity further in order to increment a test, trace, isolate approach. One of the main things i said today that it is really important to understand is that test, trace, isolate is not some kind of quick fix. It doesnt work on its own to either get infection rates down or keep infection rates down or keep infection rates down or keep infection rates down. It certainly will not, in and of itself, keep the r number below one. It is an important tool used in combination with continuing physical distancing, continued hygiene, use of face coverings, probably as continuing to some extent to limit the contacts we had with other people outside our own household. As part of that combination, we believe it has an important part to play, but right now, and since we went into lockdown on the 23rd of march, what we are doing and what is working to suppress this virus, is the compliance with all of the restrictions that people are living with right now and that remains important. All that we are talking about today about the future only becomes possible to implement if we get levels of infection even lower than they are now and get that r number below one, so that requires everybody to continue to do what we are asking you to do. However, that is difficult as i know. Lisa, from the bbc. You say that when they test, trace and isolate system is fully rolled out you want to be doing thousands of tests a day and tracing thousands of contacts. Do you know when youre expecting to be able to do that . Is that the point when you will be able to lift any kind of lockdown measures . Let me be clear, ina kind of lockdown measures . Let me be clear, in a test, trace, isolate approach, we have to be able and wa nt to approach, we have to be able and want to do as many tests as is required. The 15,500 is what we estimate is would be required, making assumptions about the level of infection. But if levels of infection rise again, so too would be never attests we would need the point im making is why we cant operate in isolation as you would get to a point, a bit like saying we cant allow this infection to ice overwhelm our nhs and equally going into this next phase it will be important to make sure we dont overwhelm the capacity of a tti system. So we are working on the capacity we believe we will need, based on certain assumptions. This work is under way in terms of increasing the Testing Capacity. Our Health Boards are already looking at how they increase the Contact Tracing capacity and we will also be looking at that on a national level, with the aim, as i said, based on the estimates we have at the moment that we will need to have an additional up to 2000 contact tracers. As i said my opening remarks, this is ongoing work and well get progress reports as we go, but we want to be any position to have an enhanced tti approach ready to be implemented from the end of may. Now your question, is not a requirement of moving into the next phase in terms of changing some of the lockdown restrictions . It is not the lockdown restrictions . It is not the only factor that we take account of, but going back to a point i have made many times, thatjason made 18 months ago, we must continue to suppress this virus. It is not simply going to go suppress this virus. It is not a. Suppress this virus. It is not simply going to go away. Right now, we are suppressing it for the very strictest version of lockdown. As we start to change that the other things we do to suppress it will become even more important. Now, some of that will be social distancing, hand hygiene, wearing face covering, continue to be careful about who we come into contact with outside of our own homes, but some of this will also be through this tti approach, so it is about how we get the right mix of measures to have confidence about how we can keep the levels of infection as low as possible and crucially, keep that critical r number is far below one is possible because that is how we keep the virus in decline. As soon as it creeps up to one again and certainly as far as it gets over one, that it is when it starts to get out of control. None of this is straightforward, none of this is simple. There are a whole variety very complex and difficultjudgments and uncertain judgments that have to be made there, but we need every tool in the tool box together is the best possible chance of getting back to some kind of normality, even if it is not normality as we knew it before 23rd of march, but continue to keep the virus under control because that is the prerequisite, keeping the virus under control and stopping it do any damage it has been doing. James matthews from sky. First minister, you often say that your conclusions and what you do is necessarily tailored towards scottish interests, which is fine, clearly, but borisjohnson appears to be shaping up for a big reveal on sunday. There is talk of a timeline for a return to work for business, etc. You appear from your marks today to be quite far apart from that. Can you tell me how far . dont necessarily say we are terribly far apart. All i want to focus on is taking the right decisions in the right order at the right place to protect the people of scotla nd right place to protect the people of scotland from this virus is that they can. I am pretty sure he has they can. I am pretty sure he has the same considerations in mind. I guess we both want to get back to as much normality as possible as quickly as possible. Scotlands first minister, nicola sturgeon, but some breaking news that the nightingale hospital. Is going to be closed down as it has only been treating 80 patients. The weather come up now. Hello, there. A bit of a weather roller coaster on the way later into the weekend, but until we get there, compared with last week, temperatures are actually on the rise this week. Most m ost pla ces most places are dry as we head through the day. Through northern and eastern parts of england, some of these showers could be dried though, possibly thundery. As we look towards the far south, but that the Channel Islands and devon, we will see more cloud working here today and the wind will be picking up today and the wind will be picking up and into the evening those ones will be strengthening, thus of up to 55 mph, there are gusty to the west of dartmoor and parts of west cornwall, so a yellow mat weather warning on the wins could cause some disruption and also this heavy rain getting into cornwall, devon and the Channel Islands through the night. If further north you are, a quiet night, xiao is fading, good clear spells and where the winds remain like a quiet night, xiao is fading, good clear spells and where the winds are made like across scotland sunspots would drop to freezing and one or two places could getjust a bit below, that it will be milder in the south where we had our weather front bringing those outbreaks of rain. But each rant is running into this area of High Pressure, so it is, as you can see that wet and windy weather across the south of england and south west wales, but it doesnt make much progress north with an upgrade will actually then this is as the day wears on. The breeze will ease, but very slowly. Further north, largely dry and some sunshine. Temperatures in the teens, rather cool for the south west and for some north sea coast as well. Into wednesday, the chance for the odd shower to graze the far west of the uk and certainly a bit more cloud here, but generally fine and long spells of sunshine. There is will be climbing pretty much across the board. That process will continue into thursday and friday, and you can see these orange colours pushing northwards across the chart. The warmest weather other will be found across the south of the uk, temperatures to was south east 24 or even 25 degrees on friday. Further north, a bit cooler as well and let me show you what happens at the weekend. This cold air is going to plunge its way southwards, unusually cold for this time of year. For some, this could be some wintry showers. Businesses are studying the government plans to make workplaces safe, including reduced hot desking and and staggering shift times. Well be looking at the government proposals to get the uk back to work. The other stories this lunchtime. Eight weeks after imposing a strict nationwide lockdown, italy starts to ease restrictions. The 4000 bed nhs nightingale facility at excel is to be placed on a standby footing in the coming days thousands of medium and Small Businesses apply for aid, as the government launches its bounce back loans scheme. And theres a mother goose loose in york station, and shes become an internet sensation