The BBC's Fergus Walsh asks how the government is going to get to 100,000 tests in England done by the end of the month - a target set by the health secretary - when they are only at a capacity of 38,000 today.

Alok Sharma says they are "continuing to work" and "doing everything we can" to reach the target, listing 26 drive-through centres now up and running.

The medical director of Public Health England, Professor Yvonne Doyle, says the numbers are being "closely tracked" and the government is "on track".

She says there is currently more capacity than is being used and the earlier announcement that more key workers will be able to access tests will be a positive step.

"Getting that organised and acceptable locally is the next key," she says.

The testing target includes swab tests, which are already in use, and blood tests, which are yet to be launched.

And asked about who will get a vaccine first, Sir Patrick says it will roll out "in the normal way" with the most vulnerable getting it before the wider public.

But, he adds: "That is some way off."

Image source, PA Media

Chief scientific adviser to the government, Sir Patrick Vallance, says there is a gradual decrease in the number of people in hospital beds in London, and a flattening and decrease in some areas.

"That is exactly what you'd expect from the social distancing measures that we've all taken beginning to feed through," he says.

He adds that while these numbers are changing, it will take time to see a change in the number of deaths, and therefore the social distancing measures need to continue.

Image source, UK Government

Referencing the graph below, Sir Patrick says the number of new cases reported in hospital has "become flat" over the last few days.

"We would expect this to start decreasing in terms of total number of cases," he says.

Image source, UK Government

Chief scientific adviser to the government, Sir Patrick Vallance, says there is a little bit of "unevenness" in transport usage across the country, especially where cases of the virus are lower than other areas.

"Don't think just because you haven't seen it near where you are, it may not be there," he tells the public.

Image source, UK Government

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

A vaccine is the clearest “exit strategy” we have. But vaccine research normally takes years, sometime decades. The world is now desperately trying to develop a coronavirus vaccine in just months.

The challenges in designing, testing, mass producing and then administering a vaccine to billions of people in record time are immense. That said, a group at Oxford University are confident they could have a million doses of vaccine by September.

Image source, Downing St

Mr Sharma says the taskforce will co-ordinate with regulators for "rapid" trials.

He says the government has "greenlighted" 21 projects to be carried out with a £14m pot of funding from the government.

And he says it will add to the existing pledge of £250m from the government to develop a vaccine for coronavirus.

"We are looking forward," says Mr Sharma. "When we make a breakthrough, we will be able to manufacture millions."

But he also urges caution, saying: "Be under no illusions. A vaccine is a colossal undertaking and a complex process which will take many months.

"There are no guarantees, but we are backing scientists [and] betting big."

"Now is not the time to let up," says Mr Sharma. "We must stay vigilant".

But he says the point they hope to get to, to defeat the virus is finding a vaccine.

He announces a new government-led “vaccine taskforce”, which he says will accelerate the development and manufacture of vaccines in the UK to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

He says it is up and running, and will report to him and the Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

It will be led by chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan van Tam, and made up of experts from across government, academia and industry.

Alok Sharma repeats that the lockdown measures will continue for at least another three weeks, protecting the NHS.

He says they need to see "a sustained and consistent" fall in infections and deaths before they can be changed.

And the government needs to be "confident" testing and PPE challenges are in hand.

"The worst thing we could do now is ease up too soon and allow a second peak of the virus to hit the NHS and the British people," he adds.

Alok Sharma begins the press conference saying the government's "step by step action plan" followed scientific and medical advice.

The business secretary says the government has been "deliberate" in its moves, "taking the right steps at the right time".

He confirms the number of deaths across the UK has risen to 14,576 and pays tribute to the lives lost.

"We must never forget that behind every statistic is a family member or a friend, and all our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all who have lost their lives," he adds.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma is stepping up to the podium for the UK government's daily briefing.

He's joined by the UK's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, and the medical director of Public Health England, Professor Yvonne Doyle.

Stick with us as we bring you all the key information.

The daily press briefing from the UK government should start in the next few minutes.

Meanwhile, why not get out the hairbrush or make-up bag and take some tips from these three people about looking good in lockdown...

Image source, Getty Images

The UK's opposition party has criticised what it sees as the government's unwillingness to discuss its lockdown exit strategy.

Speaking to the BBC earlier, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "In other countries across Europe governments are openly talking about the exit plan.

"I don't think the British are uniquely unable to understand the difference between lockdown and what comes next."

He added: "The planning hasn't been as quick as it should have been... If mass community testing is part of the answer along with tracing, and it could well be, then testing has to be ramped up very, very fast.

"Decisions need to be made in the near future if we're going to have an effective exit strategy when we need it."

Image source, Getty Images

Here is the latest news from the US:

• Donald Trump on Thursday released new guidelines for state governors suggesting a gradual and phased re-opening of states
• Anti-lockdown protests have grown in some states. On Thursday, Trump said he sympathised with demonstrators but said they should adhere to social distancing
• A San Diego doctor has been charged, external with selling a fake coronavirus “miracle cure” to an undercover FBI agent. The kit included hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug that Trump has touted as a possible cure
• The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) - one of the busiest in the world -has seen the largest drop in flights in history, according to the city’s mayor
• Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen will be released early from his three-year prison sentence for tax fraud and campaign finance violations amid concerns over an outbreak in the jail where he is being held
• Some workers at a Ford auto plant in Michigan are wearing vibrating wristbands that activate when another wearer comes within 2m (6ft)
• The US Navy has identified the 41-year-old sailor who died of Covid-19 aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which has now docked in Guam to deal with the outbreak. The ship’s captain was fired for raising the alarm, but may be re-instated in the coming days, according to US media reports

Image source, Getty Images

We should be hearing from the UK government for its daily briefing shortly.

But while we wait, watch this heartwarming video of four-year-old Archie Wilks, who has a rare cancer, but is now back with his family after recovering from Covid-19.

But behind the fatality figures are people, who leave behind loving families and friends. Here's a little about some of them:

• The football world has paid tribute to England World Cup winner Norman Hunter who has died aged 76 after contracting coronavirus. The tough-tackling centre-back was part of a successful Leeds United side which lifted the title on two occasions
• NHS worker Jane Murphy, 76, worked at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for almost 30 years, first as a cleaner before being retrained as a clinical support worker, and was described as having the "biggest heart"
• Pregnant nurse Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28, died on Sunday - but her baby survived and is doing well, according to Luton and Dunstable Hospital where she worked for five years. A fundraiser for her family raised more than £100,000

Image source, Family handout

• Dr Peter Tun died at Royal Berkshire Hospital, where he had worked for 21 years, on Tuesday. His sons described him as a "superhero"
• Grandmother Maureen Ellington, a healthcare assistant in her 60s, died on Monday. She had worked for the NHS for 25 years, and her family described her as "kind-hearted, bubbly, caring and always joyous"

Image source, Handout

Image source, Getty Images

More now on the latest figures from the UK.

The latest information from the Department of Health shows a total of 108,692 people have tested positive and 14,576 people have died after being hospitalised with the virus.

The latest daily increase in deaths, up 847, includes 58 new deaths in Scotland.

But a reminder that this data does not give us the full picture of coronavirus across the UK. Community testing is not yet in place for the general public and the daily updates only include the deaths happening in hospitals.

On Friday, during a Commons Health Committee session, Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted that care home deaths were higher than the current levels officially recorded and said work was being done to speed up reporting.

Read more:

• How to understand the death toll
• Reality check: How bad is the problem in care homes?

Image source, PA Media

We should be hearing from the UK government in the next 30 minutes, but let’s take a look at the latest from the country first:

• A total of 14,576 people hospitalised with coronavirus have now died in the UK
• Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the government would be extending testing to the police, fire service, local authority, defence, prisons and judiciary staff
• London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called for people to wear non-medical face masks to protect themselves in public
• Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says the government guidance won’t change on masks until scientists tell them it’s necessary
• Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford says lockdown measures may continue in the country, even if they are lifted elsewhere in the UK

• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge say it is important for people to look after their mental health during the outbreak

Correction 22:04 BST: On Friday the BBC reported an NHS trust boss had asked it for help sourcing protective gowns for staff. We should clarify the person concerned is not the boss of an NHS trust, but part of a network of organisations helping to source PPE for some NHS trusts.

Image source, Getty Images

English Premier League football clubs decided against discussing a deadline by which play must resume at a meeting on Friday, although they remain committed to finishing the current season.

The 20 top-flight clubs were expected to debate a 30 June deadline but instead discussed "possible scheduling models".

In another development on Friday, the English Football League, which consists of the three divisions below the Premier League, says it is planning to stream every remaining game live once the season restarts.

Matches are likely to be played without crowds when the season is allowed to resume, EFL chairman Rick Parry warned.

Away from football, all Formula 1 races held in Europe this season "could be closed to spectators", while the Scottish Open golf tournament in July and the Laver Cup tennis event in September have been postponed.

Image source, Getty Images

The government payment scheme for furloughed workers has been extended into June.

More than nine million workers are expected to be furloughed, or put on state-paid leave, under the government's job retention scheme.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed the wage subsidy will continue for another month.

He added it could be extended further "if necessary".

"With the extension of the coronavirus lockdown measures yesterday, it is the right decision to extend the furlough scheme for a month to the end of June to provide clarity," Sunak said.

Beethoven's Ode to Joy is probably his best-loved tune - and, if you live in the UK, you might hear strains of the famous melody outside your home later today.

That's because young musicians and singers across the country are set to take part in a mass doorstep singalong at 17:00 BST.

About 1,000 members from the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain will perform the rousing crowd-pleaser., external

Classical musicians of all levels, and playing any instrument, have been invited to get involved and share their own versions of the great melody on social media.

Image source, NYO