All non-urgent operations in England will be postponed from 15 April to free up 30,000 beds to help tackle coronavirus, NHS England has said.
The emergency policy will be in place for at least three months.
Meanwhile, the government's chief scientific adviser said it would be a "good outcome" if 20,000 or fewer people died of the virus in the UK.
Disruption to UK firms continues and the Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel abroad.
