COVID-19: Professors urge a ‘Plan B type’, warn emergency departments of a ‘terrible situation’ | UK news

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Health leaders have urged the government to introduce a “kind of plan B” with emergency departments in a “terrible place” amid rising levels of coronavirus infection.

Dr Catherine Henderson, chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, warned ministers that hospitals were “already struggling to adapt” and medical professionals were concerned about the coming winter months.

Meanwhile, Professor Adam Fane, a member of the Joint Commission on Immunization and Immunization (JCVI), told Sky News Trevor Phillips on Sunday that hospital admissions and deaths from COVID-19 are on the rise and the government should not be “complacent.” “.

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Photo: The plan will see the return of face masks in some settings

Professor Finn added that vaccines would not be enough to control the spread of the coronavirus, and said that people need to make an effort to avoid contact in order to slow transmission rates.

Their comments come as the government faces mounting pressure to enact what is known as “Plan B,” which includes guidelines for working from home and the mandatory use of face masks in some places.

Health Minister Sajid Javid said this week that new cases could reach 100,000 a day, but Downing Street insisted there was spare capacity in the NHS and that Plan B would only be triggered if it came under “significant pressure”.

Mr. Javid said the focus was on successfully delivering the enhanced injection program.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the former head of England’s coronavirus vaccine delivery campaign will return to the NHS to lead the surge, amid growing concerns about the impact of COVID-19 this winter.

Scientific advisers said government preparations for the Plan B restrictions must now be made so that the measures are “ready for rapid deployment if needed.”

Image: Professor Finn said that vaccines alone will not combat the rising infection rates at the present time

Early intervention will “reduce the need for more stringent, disruptive and long-term measures,” experts at the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) said in meeting minutes released Friday.

Speaking to Trevor Phillips of Sky News on Sunday, Dr Henderson said: “Every bed is filled by a patient with COVID in a sense who is in a hospital bed with an avoidable disease.

“The problem is things are worse right now, so we need everyone to be as careful about healthcare resources as possible, and try to reduce the need for healthcare resources.”

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Dr Henderson continued: “If we can bring down the levels of COVID, if we can make sure that the vulnerable don’t get infected and then need hospital care, if we can make sure that there are no people who are so sick because they get it when they aren’t vaccinated, all of that will help. We’re all in this together to try and make it better.”

Professor Finn called for “a completely different kind of message coming from the government now that there is a serious problem”.

Trevor Phillips told Sky News on Sunday he wanted to “avoid a lockdown”, but added, “We can’t avoid that if we all go back to normal now.”

Photo: Health Minister Sajid Javid said the government is focusing on introducing the booster injection program

Regarding vaccines, Prof Finn said: “It will not be sufficient by itself at the moment to control the spread of the virus,” adding: “We need to see people continue to make efforts to avoid contact, avoid transmission, and do other things in addition to vaccination if we We will stop this spike from rising any further.”

The warnings from health professionals came as Labor shadow adviser Rachel Reeves suggested the government should consider implementing Plan B.

“Labour as a responsible opposition has always said we will follow the flag, and we have seen today that SAGE says some aspects of Plan B, such as wearing masks on public transport and in stores, as well as working from home more flexible,” she told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Shaw.

Image: Some scholars have suggested that work-from-home guidelines should be implemented again

“I think the first thing is that the government should do more to make Plan A work. If the scientists are saying work from home and masks, we have to do it. So make A work better because the vaccination program has stopped, deliver those parts of Plan B.”

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Sunday that the return of the leave scheme is “not on the cards,” adding that rolling out a vaccine is “the best line of defense against having to move to impose any restrictions.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there were no plans for another lockdown and that “vaccines are our way through this winter”.

The latest data released on October 23 showed that the UK recorded 180 more COVID-related deaths and 49,298 deaths in a 24-hour period.

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