LONDON (AP) – The British health service will use a small field hospital specially built in the early days of the pandemic last spring in a large exhibition center in east London from next week.
NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said on Thursday that the pressure facing hospitals in London and the south-east of England was so sharp that the Nightingale hospital in ExCel London would be opened to inpatients next week. It is expected that a few hundred beds will be available for non-COVID patients first.
“The entire health care service in London is mobilizing to do everything but the infections, the increase in admissions, that’s what the country has under common control,” he said.
The hospital, which will also be a vaccination center, was one of several built in the spring to help during the pandemic. They are named after Florence Nightingale, widely regarded as the founder of modern nursing. In the case, it was barely used and was bottled for potential use during further waves of the pandemic.
Stevens said the health service was in the midst of an ‘incredibly serious situation’ with more than 50% more coronavirus inpatients in hospitals across England than the April peak. It all happens when the NHS is at its busiest due to winter ailments.
The Conservative government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been criticized for not locking up England earlier in the Christmas holiday season, as the infections have significantly attributed to a new variant of the virus in the capital and south-east of England. The closure took effect Tuesday, more than two weeks after scientists warned the new variant could be 70% more contagious.
In another tightening measure, the government announced on Friday that from next week, all people arriving from other countries must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure. There are exemptions for some, including truck drivers, airline staff and children under 11.
Many public health experts have long called on the UK to introduce the measure as a way to reduce imported infections, although the virus is more widespread in Britain than in many other countries.
The government said the measure would help protect against new variants of the virus, such as one recently identified in South Africa.
The UK is recording virus-related deaths, similar to some of the worst days of the pandemic. On Thursday, government figures showed that another 1,162 people reportedly died within 28 days after testing positive for the virus. It is only shy of the record high of 1,224 deaths on April 21st.
The UK’s total death toll on virus is around 78,508. According to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the UK is again the country worst hit in terms of total COVID-related deaths.
Although the number of new cases has dropped to 52,618 from the previous day’s record of 62,322, the seven days are on average three times higher than a month ago. Given the overdue problems, the UK could face many days with very high virus-related deaths.
Johnson said the likely death toll from viruses in the UK would be ‘tragically’ high, but would ultimately depend on factors such as the rapid explosion of vaccines and human compliance.
The UK is further on the vaccine than others, and has already approved two for use. Nearly 1.5 million people, mostly over 80, have already received a first dose of vaccine. The government aims to give a first dose to about 13 million people by mid-February, which will make up about 85% of those considered to be at greatest risk of dying from COVID-19.
People across the UK were encouraged to “Clap for Heroes” on Thursday night. In the early weeks of the pandemic, the weekly “Clap for Carers” was a unifying ritual.
The return, though a trademark to also recognize other key workers such as delivery managers and postal workers, was mixed with reaction. Some NHS workers have asked people to just stay home and not venture outside to clap.
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