Today's government press conference was led by England's Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

He was joined by England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, and Prof John Newton, who is co-ordinating the government's testing effort.

Here's what they told us:

• An extra £4.2m is going to mental health charities. The government recognises the challenge for mental health during this crisis and encourages people to seek help if they are struggling
• A new 20-minute test for coronavirus, that does not need to be sent to a lab, is starting large-scale trials today
• Ten million antibody tests, which can tell if someone has already had the virus, are being procured. Tests used in a survey indicate that 17% of people in London, and 5% of the overall population, have had coronavirus. The government hopes knowing who has antibodies will help it develop policy
• The rate of "all cause mortality" - that is, all deaths - is now down to what we would expect in an average winter, but being experienced during spring and summer
• The Conservative government wants to keep to its manifesto pledge to ensure people do not have to sell their homes to pay for care

We've had our last questions, so that's the Downing Street briefing done for the day.

Image source, PA Media

There's a question on whether the government will continue to fully fund its job retention scheme for workers in the tourism sector.

The current scheme - under which the taxpayer pays 80% of a furloughed worker's salary - is being extended until October but employers will be asked to contribute more after July.

Matt Hancock says the UK scheme is "one of the most generous" in the world and he is glad it is being extended.

He says he understands August is an important time for the sector and he will "talk to the chancellor about it".

There's a question about why the government is waiting for a contact-tracing app to come online before tracing the contacts of those who have tested positive.

Matt Hancock says the proposed timing "interacts with the changes" in step two of plans to ease the lockdown in England.

He adds that the goal of keeping the R rate below one at all times will "mitigate" against the possibility the system could be overwhelmed if cases rise.

On the number of tests that will be required to make it work, he says the system will be able to "grapple with" the number of new cases, currently around 61,000 per week.

Matt Hancock tells Robbie Savage he hopes it won't be necessary to have a vaccine in place before grassroots football can restart.

Prof Chris Whitty says he "definitely" hopes the sport will be available "well before" there's a vaccine.

More on those swab test trials that Matt Hancock spoke about in the daily briefing.

Trials of a new coronavirus test which can return results in 20 minutes or so are beginning in Hampshire, England, today.

Up to 4,000 people of all ages and backgrounds will be tested as part of the six-week trial.

The new test, which has proven to be effective in clinical settings, does not need to be sent to a laboratory, the UK government said.

It will be rolled out to a number of accident and emergency hospital departments without access to laboratories and care homes across Hampshire.

Mr Hancock, England's health secretary, said the tests would enable health and care workers to carry on with their shift or immediately isolate on the same day.

"We want to find out if it will be effective on a larger scale. If it works, we'll roll it out as soon as we can," Mr Hancock told the briefing.

Ex-footballer Robbie Savage - who writes for the Daily Mirror - asks why tennis and golf players can have one-on-one coaching sessions, but not young people in the "working-class" sport of football.

Matt Hancock says the rules have to be in place among the population, with different sports having different requirements.

Prof Chris Whitty adds that it's important not to increase the risk of transmission and that football is a contact sport involving a larger number of people.

Philippa Roxby
Health reporter, BBC News

A vaccine to protect people against coronavirus may still be some way off, Matt Hancock has warned.

The earliest a vaccine was predicted to be ready was at least a year to 18 months away.

Oxford University researchers have already started testing their vaccine on people – but it will take time to see if the vaccine stops infections or not.

That is particularly difficult now that the level of virus circulating among the general population is fairly low.

Other scientists around the world are also working on vaccines.

That’s good news, because they won’t all turn out to be successful and – even if they are - the planet will undoubtedly need more than one.

Image source, PA Media

Matt Hancock says a "track-and-trace" testing system for coronavirus is "on track for delivery" by 1 June.

The app tested on the Isle of Wight is working, he says.

Prof John Newton says someone who tests positive using this system will be asked to self-isolate and those close to them will be informed.

The quicker the turnaround times for tests the better, he adds.

Asked what is being done to help people struggling to pay for food, Matt Hancock says all 2.2m people with health conditions who are shielding have been offered help.

He says more than a million food parcels have been delivered to people in this group.

He says this support, offered via local councils, has been an "incredibly important" part of the government's response.

Asked by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg whether the prime minister "changed his mind" when he decided to waive NHS usage fees for health and care workers from overseas, Mr Hancock says Boris Johnson has himself "been a beneficiary" of workers from abroad.

He says the PM has "made his decision" and it's his own job to help implement it.

There's a second question from a member of the public on whether a vaccine will be mandatory if one is developed.

Matt Hancock says that possibility has not yet been addressed, but people "absolutely should" take one if asked to.

A vaccine, he adds, could be "some time off" however.

Image source, PA Media

John Newton, national coordinator of the UK’s testing programme, says successful vaccine programmes tend to be "based on consent".

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

Antibody testing attracts huge attention.

But the deal reached with Roche to provide antibody tests to health and social care staff needs to be kept in context.

We still do not know how strong any antibody response is - and therefore the potential for long-term immunity.

So the logic in offering it to health and care workers is to help with that research.

They will not suddenly be casting aside their PPE at work.

Instead, officials will be keeping an eye on whether those who have antibodies are at lower risk of re-infection.

The test may also help with surveillance in time.

A large sample of the population could be tested to look for signs of antibodies.

One of the great unknowns is just how many people have been infected but have not developed symptoms.

Matt Hancock says he appreciates the Muslim community's observation of social distancing during Ramadan - and urges people to do the same for Eid.

Chris Whitty says "all faiths" will have to "adapt joyful celebrations" during the current restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Chris Whitty says the decline in the number of deaths continues.

He also has a few words about the "excess deaths" data - the number of extra deaths above what might normally be expected.

He says "all-cause mortality" has come down from a peak and is now in line with the rates that would expected during a standard winter.

He says excess all-cause care home deaths "have peaked" and have come down "a long way" from earlier in the year.

Image source, UK government

The number of coronavirus tests carried out in the UK is now more than three million.

And the number of confirmed cases has passed the 250,000 mark.

Image source, UK government.

When the lockdown began, transport use of all kinds slumped.

But road travel is gradually increasing - although it's still nowhere near normal levels.

Prof Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, unveils some new data from an infection survey using swab tests.

He says the survey estimated 137,000 in England had Covid-19 between 14 May and 17 May, or 0.25% of the population.

He adds that whilst there has been an increase in car use, "almost everyone" is sticking to lockdown rules.

The R infection rate remains below the level of one, he says - meaning the virus is still declining rather than growing.

Image source, UK government

Here's the UK government graph showing the daily number of confirmed deaths among people who have tested positive for Covid-19.

People who test positive for coronavirus antibodies will be told what they are able and unable to do, Mr Hancock says. It's important to stay "one step ahead" of the virus, he adds.