Coronavirus: These are the 19 main developments that have happened today

Here’s what you need to know on 20 March. This article was updated at 6pm

Social measure: Boris Johnson has ordered pubs and restaurants to close as the Government announced unprecedented measures to cover the wages of workers who would otherwise lose their jobs due to the coronavirus outbreak. The PM said nightclubs, theatres, gyms and leisure centres should close their doors from Friday night to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent the NHS coming under unsustainable pressure. Read the full range of measures here

Economy: Speaking shortly after Johnson, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled another new set of “unprecedented” financial measures to help protect workers and jobs, including paying up to 80% of workers’ wages in a bid to help businesses mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Sunak said that the government is rolling a combination of schemes to make sure workers are protected and businesses can stay afloat. Read more here

Numbers update: The number of confirmed UK coronavirus cases has climbed 714 to 3,983, the biggest leap yet surpassing Wednesday’s rise of 676. The number of deaths in patients who were confirmed to have coronavirus stands at 144 but will be updated later today. Globally, there have been more than 245,000 cases confirmed, with more than 10,000 people diagnosed with the infection having died,

Policy: Matt Hancock, the health secretary, will issue guidance to 1.4 million vulnerable people to help them understand social distancing. The guidelines - for people with serious underlying health conditions such as cancer, cystic fibrosis and diseases of body system - will ask them stop all social contact for a 12 week period from Monday. Read more here.

Social isolation will need to be in place for most of the year in order to have an effect, warn government advisers. Evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) suggests it could be plausible to alternate between more and less distancing but it could be longer-term. Read more here.

Crime: The first British person has been arrested for refusing to self-isolate. The 26-year-old was arrested on the Isle of Man, after breaking the rules on isolating for 14 days on arrival. Read more here.

Politics: Conservative MP Maria Caulfield has said she will go back to her old job of nursing, alongside working as an MP, to provide extra support to the NHS. Caulfield represents Lewes in East Sussex. She’ll work night shifts and weekends during parliamentary recess. Read more here.

Education: The government updated its advice on schools, naming the professions which it will class as key workers. It includes doctors, nurses, police, journalists and teachers as well as workers involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery. Read more here.

Transport: Train services will be reduced from Monday to prevent non-essential journeys being made. There’s been a drop of about 70% in passenger numbers since the outbreak began. Northern Ireland has said its public transport will run on a Saturday timetable from Monday. Read more here.

Technology: YouTube has joined Netflix and Prime Video in agreeing to limit video stream quality in an effort to ease pressure on internet providers. Internet Service Providers are braced for a surge in traffic as more people work from home and self-isolate. YouTube will only stream in standard definition for 30 days. Read more here.

A COVID-19 test which only costs £6 and is 98% accurate has drawn the “tentative” interest of the government. The 10-minute test, which manufacturer SureScreen Diagnostics says could be used at home, has proved “hugely popular” in Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Read more here.

Royal: There will be no ceremonial Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace or Windsor Castle, to stop people gathering in large crowds to watch. Read more here.

Positive news

Retail: Lidl is creating thousands of new jobs in order to cope with the demand created by shoppers stocking up to cope with the outbreak. Bosses have encouraged anyone who lost their job because of Covid-19 to apply, offering pay of £9.30 an hour for staff outside London, or £10.75 in the capital.

Asda is also hiring more people, with a pledge to specifically take on people who lost their job because of coronavirus. Aldi said it needs another 9,000 temporary workers.

Loddon Brewery in Reading switched to home deliveries after experiencing a drop-off in orders and has had one of its busiest days ever, it says. The company’s marketing manager said they were doing as much as they could and called the order spike a “lovely problem to have”.

Latest coronavirus news, updates and advice

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Rest of the world

Italy: The army is to go into Lombardy, one of the worst-hit regions, to enforce lockdown. The region’s president said the disease is still spreading, and that 114 soldiers will be on the streets. Read more here.

Germany and Spain: Both countries have recorded more than 3,000 extra cases overnight. The number of dead in Spain has broken the 1,000 mark. Shutdown looms in Germany, as Bavaria became the first state to impose lockdown. Read more here.

USA: California has issued orders for people to stay at home after modelling showed more than half of the state’s 40 million residents could contract COVID-19 over the next eight weeks. Read more here.

Australia: Beachgoers turned out onto Bondi Beach despite advice from authorities to practice social distancing. Read more here.