The government will guarantee £330bn of loans to businesses in an “unprecedented” package of financial support to shore-up the British economy as the coronavirus outbreak escalates. As Richard Partington reports, the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said if more help was needed it would be provided, with a pledge to deliver “whatever it takes” to keep companies and people solvent. Saying the British state would need to intervene in the economy in ways that were unimaginable just weeks ago, the chancellor said he would also provide tax breaks and other measures worth £20bn to protect companies and households suffering amid the economic collapse triggered by the virus. Boris Johnson has likened the fight against coronavirus to a wartime enterprise. In his opening remarks at the press conference where Rishi Sunak announced the rescue package for business, he said: We must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy. That’s the main purpose of this press conference this afternoon ... Yes this enemy can be deadly, but it is also beatable – and we know how to beat it and we know that if as a country we follow the scientific advice that is now being given we know that we will beat it. And however tough the months ahead we have the resolve and the resources to win the fight. And, to repeat, this government will do whatever it takes. Johnson has hinted that the government is moving closer to announcing the closure of schools. (See 5.48pm.) Earlier the largest teaching union, the National Education Union, called for schools to be shut. (See 11.50am.) Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, has said the government is advising against all non-urgent travel abroad for the next 30 days. (See 12.44pm.) Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, has said that the restrictions on social contact announced yesterday will be in place for months. (See 2.47pm.) When it was put to him that they could last 18 months, he said he did not know - but he did not reject the possibility outright. That’s all from this blog for tonight. But there will be more coverage on our general coronavirus outbreak live blog all evening. You can read it here.