Good afternoon and welcome back to Downing Street for today’s coronavirus press conference. I’m joined today by our Deputy Chief Medical Officer , Dr Jenny Harries.
The government is working through our action plan, which aims to save as many lives as possible by slowing the spread of the virus, protecting the NHS and preventing it from being overwhelmed.
Our response is built upon the bedrock of the best possible scientific and medical advice, so that we can take the right steps at the right time.
First, by slowing the spread of the virus across our society. And second, by boosting the capacity of the NHS so that we can always care for those who fall sick. Sadly, coronavirus continues to spread.
I can report that, through the government’s ongoing monitoring and testing programme, according to the latest figures:
- 195,524 people have now been tested for the virus
- and 47,806 have been tested positive
Across the UK, the number of people admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms is now 16,702. And, of those who have contracted the virus, 4,934 have, sadly, died.
We mourn their passing, and we offer our profound sympathies to their family and friends. I have lost 2 people that I was fond of. So I understand what a difficult time this is for the country.
This evening, Her Majesty the Queen will give a rare formal address to the nation. And I know we will all be watching and listening to see and hear what she has to say on behalf of us all.
I understand that people are yearning to know how long this will all last. And the answer is entirely dependent on how much people follow the rules on social distancing.
Following these rules is mission critical if we are to protect the NHS, slow the spread and give the NHS time to expand capacity and so save lives.
The more people follow the rules, then the faster we will all be through it.
So, I say this to the small minority of people who are breaking the rules or pushing the boundaries. You are risking your own life, and the lives of others. And you are making it harder for us all.
We’ve included exercise as one of the things that you can leave your house to do, because exercise is good for our physical and mental health. But, please do not bend or break this rule. We can’t rule out further steps. But, I don’t want anyone to think that any changes to the social distancing rules are imminent, because the vast majority are following the rules.
And to you, to all those at home, to all those following the rules, I want to say thank you, on behalf of us all. And especially on behalf of the doctors and nurses and other colleagues who put their lives on the line to care for you in the NHS. As well as working to slow the spread, of course, we are increasing the capacity of the NHS.
Last week, we saw the completion of the Nightingale Hospital in East London. It was planned, constructed and fully staffed within 9 days. It was humbling to see the NHS, the military and everyone involved in its construction pulling together in this time of need. And there are many more Nightingales to come across our entire United Kingdom, including Harrogate, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast and Cardiff.
These new hospitals are on top of the expansion in critical care across the NHS. There are currently over 2,336 spare critical care beds for the NHS in England. And over 9,000 ventilators are now available to NHS coronavirus patients across the country, thanks to the national effort to ramp up capacity. 300 new ventilators arrived this weekend from China. And we’ve seen UK manufacturers working at pace to develop new ones.
Of course, hospitals and ventilators are critical, but our NHS is nothing without the people who work there. And it has been so encouraging to see over 27,000 former healthcare professionals signing up to return to the NHS frontline. I want to say a great big thank you to each and every one of you – welcome back. And I hope many more will sign up in the weeks ahead.
This weekend, we have also launched our latest technology – a new coronavirus status checker. It asks people who currently have coronavirus symptoms to share their experiences to help us in our fight against the virus. And it will help make use of this information, which will in turn help us to understand the disease. So we can for instance allocate resources – like oxygen, ventilators and additional staff – to where they are needed most.
Please do your bit, if you currently have symptoms, by going to www.nhs.uk/statuschecker. Because, the more people who use it, then the better informed our response will be. The smart use of data like this and digital technologies is one of the strongest bulwarks that we have against coronavirus. Because new technologies can help us to meet these new threats, and allow us to gain the understanding and the insight that we need to defeat this virus once and for all. Technology is one piece of the jigsaw, and an important piece. But, ultimately, the strongest weapon in our arsenal is if we join together in tough times and follow the rules that have been put in place. I, like many of you, have young children at home, so I know what a challenge this can be for families. And I really understand how much everyone wants to enjoy the sunny weather. But, the cruel thing about coronavirus is it thrives on the social contact and the human bonds that bring so much to life. So, we must show our resolve. All the things that we miss right now – going to the pub for a pint with friends, or sitting in the park with a book, or hugging a grandchild – we will have these moments again and they’ll mean even more to us. But until then, the only way to protect yourselves, your loved ones and your community is to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.