LONDON (Reuters) – Britain has reactivated emergency hospitals built in the wake of the pandemic and closed London primary schools on Friday to counter the rapid spread of a much more infectious variant of the coronavirus.
With more than 50,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 over the past four days, the health service said it was preparing for the planned rise in patients and needed more beds.
The announcement comes just days after Royal London Hospital told staff in an email that it was now in “disaster medicine mode” and could not provide high-level critical care.
With the capital one of the areas most affected by the new variant, which is up to 70% more infectious, the government also decided to close all London primary schools, reversing the decision taken just two days ago.
“The education and welfare of children remains a national priority,” said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson. “Moving more parts of London to remote education is really a last resort and a temporary solution.”
Britain is battling a new wave of viruses that has already killed more than 74,000 people and crushed the economy. One of the most affected countries in the world, recorded 53,285 cases in the last 24 hours and 613 deaths on Friday.
The government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been criticized for frequent investments during the pandemic, including the delay in blocking during the first wave of March and the abandonment of a system for awarding school grades without exams.
Temporary hospitals “Nightingale” in places like convention centers were a success, built by the military in a matter of days. They were barely used but have been kept on hold.
A Sky News report said intensive care units at three London hospitals were full on New Year’s Eve, forcing patients to be moved to other hospitals for critical care.
“In anticipation of increasing pressures due to the spread of the new variant of infection, the NHS London Region was asked to ensure that the nightingale reactivated and was willing to admit patients if necessary,” said one spokesman for the National Health Service (NHS).
The Royal College of Nursing warned, however, that the country does not have enough nurses to care for the new places, especially with many sick with the virus or forced to isolate themselves.
In terms of schooling, the government said it had to close all primary schools in the capital after a review of transmission rates. On Wednesday, Williamson had outlined a plan to delay the reopening of secondary schools, but open most primary schools, including much of the capital, in time next week after the Christmas holidays.
The opposition Labor Party said the last-minute reversal would cause chaos for parents.
Kate Holton Reports; Edited by David Goodman