The United Kindom’s military has been drafted to help in the war against the Wuhan coronavirus, as the UK faces the prospect of a national lockdown.
The British Armed Forces will start “around the clock” deliveries of medical supplies and personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, glasses, and protective suits to National Health Service (NHS) hospitals across the country.
“In the face of this unprecedented global emergency, never has the need to bolster our workforce and arm them with the vital tools they need to save lives been more crucial,” health secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News.
“We are working round the clock to make sure trucks are on the ground across the country delivering protective equipment to all who need it, so they are well-equipped to continue to fight the virus,” Hancock added.
Military trucks will deliver the first round of supplies to hospitals over the weekend, after NHS staff warned that they were facing shortages of the personal protective equipment necessary to keep doctors and nurses safe while treating coronavirus patients. The health secretary said that the government will work to ensure that “there is a constant flow” of supplies to hospitals.
Emily Lawson, the chief commercial officer for the NHS, said that hospitals in the UK need to massively increase their supply of medical supplies and protective equipment for front line medical staff, but that the help from the military has eased the strain on the supply chain.
“Working with our partners, we are now seeing much increased capacity, and a more responsive supply chain to help take us through the coronavirus outbreak. We are extremely grateful for the Army’s support in doing so,” Lawson said.
Supermarkets in the United Kingdom, which have been facing shortages as a result of people panic buying items, will also be assisted by the military who will begin coordinating efforts as well as delivering items to an estimated 1.5 million at-risk people who are set to remain under self-quarantine for up to three months.
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick said that packages of food will be delivered to supermarkets and that supermarket staff and volunteers will deliver the parcels to those who do not have family members or friends to pick up their food.
“Nobody needs to worry about getting the food and essential items they need,” Mr Jenrick told The Times.
Last week, Tesco and other supermarket chains across the country announced that they would be hiring tens of thousands of workers to help keep shelves stocked as customers continue to stockpile and panic buy essential items.
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