Matt Hancock urges public to stay at home over Easter as PPE plan published
Health secretary Matt Hancock has urged people to stay at home over the Easter weekend in order to protect the NHS from the coronavirus crisis.
“However warm the weather, however tempting your local beach or park, we need everyone to stay at home”, he added.
Hancock’s plea came as the death toll in the UK rose to 8,958, a daily increase of 980, the largest single increase yet recorded in this country.
He added an additional 5,706 people had tested positive for the virus, with 19,304 currently hospitalised with symptoms of the disease.
Despite the overall increase, the deputy chief medical officer Jonathan van Tam said there were signs that the infection rates might be beginning to bend downwards.
The health secretary also gave an update on efforts to increase the UK’s testing capacity, saying that there was now capacity for all key social and NHS staff to be tested.
Yesterday, 19,116 tests were carried out across the country, with Hancock adding that 15 drive through testing centres had now been opened.
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After concerns that not all NHS workers had been supplied with enough personal protective equipment (PPE), Hancock used the conference to announce a three-strand PPE plan to ensure that everyone working in a critical care role gets the PPE they need.
Hancock said that global demand for supplies of PPE was currently “unprecedented”.
Usually the NHS supply chain for PPE supplies equipment to 233 hospital trusts, but there are currently 58,000 separate health and care providers asking for stocks of the equipment.
From next week, hospitals, which have already received 742m pieces of PPE, will be resupplied with new stocks of equipment every day.
Hancock also said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s condition continues to improve. A Downing Street spokesperson said that Johnson had been able to take short walks as part of his recovery.
“He has spoken to his doctors and thanks the whole clinical team for the incredible care he has received”, it was added.
“His thoughts are with everyone affected by this disease”.