CORONAVIRUS UPDATE FOR NHS STAFF #1 0945, 23/03/20
The Government is ramping up delivery of Personal Protective Equipment to our frontline medical staff so they are fully equipped to tackle Coronavirus - the best thing everyone else can do is to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
- In the face of this unprecedented global emergency, it is our duty to ensure that our health and care workers are fully equipped with the vital tools that they need to save lives.
- The Government has supplied millions of fresh facemasks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items to hospitals, ambulance trusts, GP practices, pharmacists, care homes and hospices over the past week, and is now ramping up to go further and faster as demand grows.
- From this week, the army will offer its support, with service personnel helping to deliver and distribute urgent PPE supplies, and delivery times are being extended into evenings and weekends where necessary.
- We are working round the clock to ensure that dedicated frontline NHS and social care staff get this protective equipment, so they are well-equipped to continue to fight the virus.
From today, schools are closed except for children of critical workers and the most vulnerable, as one of our latest measures to slow the spread of Coronavirus.
- As per scientific advice, the Government is closing schools to most children to help slow the spread of the virus.
- We must ensure critical workers and the most vulnerable children are able to access school places. You should only send your child to school on Monday if you have to, because your work is critical to our COVID-19 response.
- If you can keep your child at home, you should. Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives.
We can turn the tide against coronavirus in the next twelve weeks – everyone will need to help to ensure people get the support they need to stay at home. This will mean we can protect our NHS and save thousands of lives.
- The coronavirus outbreak is the biggest public health emergency in a generation. It calls for decisive action, at home and abroad, of the kind not normally seen in peacetime.
- This is why we are doing everything we can to tackle the pandemic and mitigate its impact. We are mobilising every bit of Government to defend our people and our country. Businesses, our great universities and communities across the country are coming together to help.
- The public have a crucial role to play in delaying the spread of the virus, making sure they stay at home if they have coronavirus symptoms or, if someone in their household does, washing their hands more regularly and pulling together at this time of emergency. The best thing you can do is to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
- Guided by the best scientific advice, with our clear action plan and through looking out for each other, we will rise to this challenge together.
