Covid-19 Daily Briefing - 'If less than 20,000 die that will be considered a good result'

The Government's daily coronavirus briefing was fronted today by business secretary Alok Sharma and NHS England's medical director Stephen Powis.

Alok Sharma has announced that The Government will be removing 'administrative barriers'  to the production of face masks and sanitiser which will allow new producers to bring their products to market within days.

Mr Sharma also revealed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still showing mild symptoms of the coronavirus having tested positive yesterday and that he chaired a meeting this morning.

Stephen Powis reiteratated that they were ramping up testing on NHS and other frontline staff over the weekend and that the tests will dramatically increase early next week and he also stated that if The Government can keep deaths below 20,000 during this epidemic they will have done well.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma also announced changes to insolvency rules to allow firms 'greater flexibility' during this crisis. These measures will give businesses extra time to get back on their feet and ensure that creditors get the best return. There will also be a temporary suspension of wrongful trading provisions for company directors to remove the threat of personal liability during the pandemic, which will apply retrospectively from 1 March. The Minister also announced that companies that were required to annual general meetings would be able to do so flexibly with public health guidance.

The briefing also revealed that the Foreign Office is working hard to organise more charter flights to get Britons stranded abroad home.

The briefing was finished with the message from Stephen Powis that we should follow the simple rules - "Avoid contact with others, stay at home, and if you're symptomatic, isolate. That will result in fewer deaths."