Coronavirus live updates, April 20 2020

It’s the start of the summer term at schools today, but most children remain at home and there is no indication of when classrooms will reopen.

A total of 56 people have died with Covid-19 at Southmead Hospital and 55 at the BRI, according to the latest figures released by the NHS.

Nightingale Hospital Bristol continues to be built at UWE’s Frenchay campus and is expected to be able to treat its first patients on Saturday. But its boss says she hopes the facility will not be needed.

Scroll down for the latest updates:

5.30pm
Thank you for reading our live blog today. We will be back from 9am tomorrow.

5.19pm
More than 140,000 firms have applied to the Government’s job retention scheme since 8am this morning, with grants to help cover the wages of more than one million people, chancellor Rishi Sunak said.

3.07pm
What roads in Bristol could benefit from being just open for walkers, runners and cyclists?

2.16pm
A job is a job:

1.09pm
Students from Bristol’s BIMM Institute, whose alumni include George Ezra, are playing to the nation, live from their living rooms, as part of the BIMM Lockdown Sessions on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/111909047105759/videos/2320033454957122/

12.38pm
Advice from Bristol’s resident weatherman:

11.41am
Train operator GWR has donated almost £10,000 worth of on-board catering to a host of good causes across their network.

These include donations to North Bristol Food Bank, various Fareshare sites in Bristol and Roots Independent Street Team providing help to the homeless.

11.18am
The UK may hold a minute’s silence next week to pay tribute to NHS workers who have died with coronavirus. Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said government was actively looking at the idea, that could take place on Tuesday, April 28 – International Workers’ Memorial Day.

10.41am
Bristol-born artist Damien Hirst has created a new rainbow artwork to show support for the NHS in the current coronavirus crisis.

A limited edition of the work is being produced which will be sold with all profits donated to the NHS, with a print also able to be downloaded for free from his website.

10.17am
Find out how you can support independent food businesses:

9.41am
Bristol North West MP Darren Jones is a member of the Science and Technology Committee, a cross-party committee of MPs who scrutinise the Government.

9.08am
Bristol City players are expected to agree a temporary pay cut this week, the Bristol Post reports. Players could take a 30 per cent temporary cut and coaching staff 20 per cent, to help ease the pressure on club finances.

Bristol City are currently in seventh place in the Championship – photo by JMP

8.45am
Good morning and welcome to today’s live blog.

In the latest news:

• The UK will use the blood of coronavirus survivors in trials to treat hospital patients ill with the disease.
• The government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme opens for applications today.
• An extra 30,000 temporary mortuary places will be provided by the government as a precaution during the coronavirus pandemic.

Main photo by Martin Booth

Read more: Tribute to NHS mapped by satellite in Bristol Channel