Many people - especially the opposition Labour Party - have been calling for help for renters during the crisis.

Asked about any future measures, Boris Johnson says: "We will be bringing forward legislation which will help renters and prevent them from suffering no-fault evictions, that kind of thing.

"We cannot penalise people for doing the right thing, nor can we penalise people when you have an economic upset as a direct reaction to government advice to protect the public."

He adds: "Each person facing that disruption... is entitled to protection and support."

Asked if there is a cap on support for struggling industries, Mr Johnson says the Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a big package of support - with £20bn to support business directly in cash terms.

The PM says that the government "will continue to look at the steps that are necessary to support good companies that are now facing difficulties through no fault of their own".

He adds that he is "absolutely convinced the UK economy will come back very strongly and we want those companies to exist" when it does.

Dr Jenny Harries says there is an "ambition" for people to be able to test themselves at home.

She says the government has already increased its testing capacity, moving towards 25,000 a day.

"But as we go forward, it is very much an ambition to have a home-based test [as] we don't want infectious people arriving in hospital."

Mr Johnson says he will ensure children due to sit crucial exams will get the qualifications they need.

Though he adds that, at this stage, he cannot go into detail about how that might happen.

Hannah Richardson
BBC News education and social affairs reporter

Image source, PA Media

It was the announcement the government did not want to make – shutting down schools indefinitely.

But as the virus spread its claws further into communities it became inevitable.

Heads and teachers are just as at risk as anyone else, and as more and more staff called in sick – increasing numbers of schools started to fall like dominoes under the weight of this pandemic.

Although the decision gives certainty for now – doors will be closed – there is even more uncertainty ahead.

How long will they remain closed? How will pupils cope with learning from home? Who will look after them?

And how will schools manage in their new role as the nation’s babysitters for the children of key workers?

Mr Johnson says the coronavirus is an invisible enemy and it is not clear who is transmitting it.

Asked by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg about the duration of school closures, the PM says he wants to keep it to an "absolute minimum".

He says the exemption for key workers is to keep the NHS going - but he cannot say when schools will re-open.

Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, says the whole approach is to reduce social contact throughout society.

"This measure moves that on a small amount but it is not to do with the safety of the children," she says.

Mr Johnson responds to a question about people in London - where the coronavirus outbreak is ahead of other places in the UK - who appear not to be following the government's advice.

He says "we have always said we will do the right measures at the right time".

He adds that people are making a heroic effort to adhere to the government's advice but that this is under constant review.

"The scientific advice shows that these settings are safe for this small number of children to continue attending," Gavin Williamson told MPs.

"But asking others to stay away will just go towards helping us slow the spread of this virus.

"Examples of these key workers include NHS staff, police and delivery drivers who need to be able to go to work.

"Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with educational health and care plans."

Mr Williamson said the Government is "expecting" early years providers, sixth forms and further education colleges to do the same.

Mr Johnson finishes his opening speech by saying his government "will not hesitate to go further and faster in the days and weeks ahead".

Professor Patrick Vallance says the "overriding consideration is to save lives and protect the most vulnerable".

The government's chief scientific officer says people's behaviour has already been changing since earlier measures, but adds: "The thing we must protect... is to make sure that the NHS, intensive care capacity and ventilator capacity is not breached".

He says that schools did not need to be shut from the start as they are "not dangerous places" for pupils or teachers, "but this extra bit is now important to protect NHS capacity" and stop the spread.

The prime minister says children should not be left with older grandparents or older relatives who may be particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus.

"I want to thank families for their sacrifice," he adds. "I want to thank teachers, all the support staff who keep schools going."

This year's exams will not go ahead, Gavin Williamson says.

The spike of the virus is increasing at a faster pace than anticipated, he says, and taking these measures "will save people's lives".

Mr Johnson explains that schools will still need to look after the children of key workers - such as NHS staff - but also the most vulnerable pupils.

This is to ensure public services can continue to operate.

He says the government is working with nurseries and private schools to help this happen and making food vouchers available.

Exams, he adds, will not take place in May and June as planned.

Mr Johnson says everyone must follow social distancing advice to protect themselves and their loved ones.

"Avoid all unneccesary gatherings, pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants," he says.

He adds that the decision to close schools has less impact than other measures - such as the advice to remain at home for seven days if you develop symptoms, and for 14 days if someone in your household develops symptoms.

But "now we need to apply further downward pressure" on the rising numbers of cases.

The death toll from the virus in Italy has surged by 475 over the past 24 hours, officials say.

It brings the total number of deaths in the country to 2,978, an increase of 19%.

The total number of confirmed cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 35,713 from 31,506,

The benefits of schools remaining as open are changing swiftly, Williamson says.

He says schools are finding it difficult to continue as normal, as staff levels drop.

He says schools will shut their gates on Friday afternoon until further notice.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has begun the daily press conference on the coronavirus inside No 10 after the announcement that English schools will close to all but children of key workers and the most vulnerable.

He is joined by two government scientific and medical advisers, Sir Patrick Vallance and Dr Jenny Harries.

English schools will close to all but the children of key workers and the most vulnerable children from Friday.

US President Donald Trump and his coronavirus taskforce have delivered another update on the state of the crisis. This is what our reporters in Washington DC heard:

• The defense department will be making millions of respiratory masks and other personal protective equipment available, including up to 2,000 ventilators
• The president announced he is suspending all foreclosures and evictions until the end of April
• In the coming days laboratories will be able to run tens of thousands of tests per day; the US is also working on creating a self-swab test
• Trump pushed back against his treasury chief’s estimate that 20% of people could become unemployed due to the pandemic, saying that was only “an absolute, total worst-case scenario”

• The taskforce cautioned that early reports from Europe show some younger people have become seriously ill with Covid-19, and called on millennials to practice social-distancing

Image source, Reuters