LONDON (AP) – The mayor of London said on Friday that the capital’s COVID-19 situation was critical, reflecting deteriorating conditions in besieged hospitals as the country authorized a third vaccine for use. emergency.
Sadiq Khan declared it a “major incident,” as the rapid spread of the virus brought hospitals to the breaking point, with a number of patients hospitalized with coronavirus 27% a week through Jan. 6. One in 30 people in the British capital was infected with the virus during the week until January 2, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Other emergency services are also under stress, and now hundreds of firefighters are driving ambulances, for example.
“Our heroic doctors, nurses and NHS staff are doing an amazing job, but with cases increasing so rapidly, our hospitals are at risk of being overwhelmed,” Khan said. “The stark reality is that we will run out of beds for patients in the coming weeks, unless the spread of the virus slows dramatically.”
A major incident is defined as one in which there is a risk to life and well-being and is “beyond the scope of routine operations.” It allows for coordination between different emergency agencies and will allow London to seek help from other areas.
Khan, a member of the opposition Labor Party, also wrote to Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for more financial support for Londoners who need to isolate themselves and cannot work, and called for masks to be worn in crowded outdoor spaces as well. as interiors.
The action comes as better news emerges about the fight against the virus with the approval of the Modern vaccine as the country embarks on a key inoculation program to pull the UK out of the pandemic.
The Department of Health said on Friday that the vaccine meets the “strict safety, efficacy and quality standards” of the British drug regulator. Britain has ordered to deliver 17 million doses scheduled for spring.
“Vaccines are the key to freeing us all from the pandemic, and today’s news is another important step toward ending closure and returning to normal life,” said Business Secretary Alok Sharma.
To date, Britain has inoculated 1.5 million people with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccines. It plans to vaccinate about 15 million people by mid-February.
Authorization comes as the need for this help grows more and more.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said on Thursday that pressures facing hospitals in London and the south-east of England were so acute that a temporary field hospital would be opened next week at the ExCel conference center London.
The hospital was one of several built in the spring to help during the pandemic, but it was not widely used.
“The entire health service in London is mobilizing to do everything it can, but infections, the rate of revenue growth, is what the country collectively has to control,” Stevens said.
The UK records virus-related deaths at a level last seen during the worst days of the pandemic. On Thursday, government data showed that 1,162 people had died in the 28 days following the positive test for the virus.
The total number of UK-related virus deaths is 78,508. According to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the UK has COVID-related deaths in Europe and the fifth highest number in the world.
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