Coronavirus: the government's announcements and what it means for the West Country
The word unprecedented is far too often used in unpredictable times, but it is most certainly the right word for now as the Coronavirus, and with it Covid-19, spreads across the country.
Politically it means the whole country is looking for the Government to make things better and shelter most of us from the worse impacts of the virus.
This has been declared both a public health crisis and an economic crisis and ministers have spent much of this week rolling out the measures they hope will help the economy and protect jobs.
The measures already announced by the Chancellor include loans worth £330bn for businesses to help them through the crisis, as well as small grants specifically for the hospitality and leisure industries that are already struggling as we're all told to stay away.
Those businesses have all been given a 12 months break from paying business rates.
Ministers have also promised more help if (and more likely when) it is needed.
The pressure today is on the Treasury to go further to help jobs and individual.
The Chancellor is meeting with trade unions and business representatives today to work out how the Government can help.
Pressure is coming on the Government from all parties, including senior Conservative MPs, to help companies with wages rather than people losing their jobs and then needing to access benefits through the benefits system.
We know that ministers are listening to these requests and will update as soon as they have new plans.
In the coming days the Government will also announce what will happen to the students who have had all of their exams cancelled.
The Prime Minister has promised that students will get the grades and qualifications that they deserve. The work is now underway to work out how to go about that.
The Government is heavily briefing today that there is zero chance of a London Lockdown - something that has been suggested overnight.
There had been concerns after the PM's press conference yesterday that he was considering ramping up measures in London (where the spread of the virus is far greater than any other part of the country), but any travel restrictions in and out of the capital have been ruled out with the Prime Minsters spokesperson saying there is 'zero change' of that happening.
Also today 20,000 military personnel are now on standby to help public services if need be, their tasks could include driving oxygen tankers to and from hospitals as well as medically qualified servicemen and women helping out our hospitals.