Retired doctors and nurses could be asked to return to NHS while millions of workers may be ordered to work from home under new UK coronavirus ‘battle plan’
- Cemeteries are drafting plans to cope with a rise in bodies across the country
- Scientists will host Cobra meetings in the Cabinet Office’s ‘war room’
- Government set to publish its official plan to deal with the crisis this week
Retired doctors and nurses could be asked to return to the NHS while millions of workers may be ordered to work from home under a new UK coronavirus ‘battle plan’.
Those who have recently stepped down could be called up after 23 cases have been confirmed in Britain, with fears that 80 per cent of the population cold contract the virus.
The government is set to publish its plan to combat Covid-19 later this week and has based the initiative on a response it had in place for a possible flu pandemic.
People wearing face masks in Trafalgar Square, London, as the first case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Wales and two more were identified in England – bringing the total number in the UK to 20
The three new cases – one in Gloucestershire, one in Hertfordshire and another in Berkshire – are being investigated and any individuals who had contact with the patients are now being traced.
Extra Cobra meetings will be held in Whitehall, with scientists and media experts working side-by-side in the Cabinet Office’s so-called ‘war room’, BBC reports.
Posters and social media adverts will warn people to wash their hands for 20 seconds or more with soap and water and cemeteries are drawing up plans to cope with a rise in bodies, according to The Sunday Times. The paper reports that up to 500,000 people could die from the virus.
It comes after an infant school staff member tested positive in Woodley, Berkshire, on Saturday evening.
Willow Bank Infant School announced that it would be closing for a deep clean as panic over the illness grips the nation.
The letter to parents of pupils at the Berkshire infant school (pictured) read: ‘We regret to inform you that we were told today that one of our members of staff has tested positive for the coronavirus, COVID- 19’
The patient, from Surrey, is understood to be a man who was treated at Haslemere Health Centre before being transferred to Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London. The health centre has opened today following a deep clean
More than 200 British tourists stranded in Tenerife as they were quarantined in a hotel have been told that they will only be able to fly home if they test negative.
The holidaymakers have been quarantined at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace since Tuesday after four Italians contracted coronavirus.
Health chiefs have urged people aged over 60 to avoid crowds amid the wide-spread panic.
The World Health Organisation issued the drastic warning which also urged people in this age group to skip routine appointments at doctors’ surgeries and hospitals.
More than 10,000 Britons have now been tested for the deadly virus. Ten cases were reported in just three days – and 1,000 were tested in the last 24 hours alone.