Medical professionals in the UK have issued an urgent plea to the British government to reinforce Covid restrictions as a result of the increased level of infections and hospitalizations in the country.
Last month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that a Plan B would be handy if subsequent Covid data suggests the need and the National Health Service is likely to get stretched and come under unsustainable pressure.
The medical personnel have warned that there could be a “stumbling into a winter crisis” in the UK if the government does not enact its “Plan B”.
What this means
A statement issued by officials from the NHS Confederation, which represents organizations across the U.K. healthcare sector, urged the government to impose restrictions such as face coverings in crowded spaces in order to drastically reduce the spread of the virus during the coming winter period.
According to the statement, the NHS Confederation is calling “on the government to introduce measures, such as mandatory face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces, without delay to keep people well and avoid the NHS from becoming overwhelmed this winter.”
Furthermore, they warned that the National Health Service “is seeing worrying increases in coronavirus cases in its hospitals and the community at a time when it is preparing for a busy winter period, its staff are close to burnout, and it is being expected to recover many of its services that were disrupted by the pandemic.”
Currently, the U.K. records between 40,000 and 50,000 new Covid cases per day as the number of hospitalizations and deaths continues to be on the rise, however not at the same rate as during the pandemic last year, thanks to the development of the Covid vaccines, which has greatly contributed to the reduction in infection cases, hospitalization and death.
The U.K. reported 43,738 new Covid cases on Tuesday, a decline from Monday when 49,156 new cases were recorded, marking the highest daily number in three months.