Mayor warns schools could close before Easter
EALING Hospital is restricting visitors to its wards to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The Uxbridge Road site in Southall has updated its advice telling family or friends of patients to stay away if they have flu or cold-like symptoms.
In a message on its website, the warning reads: “Please do not visit your friend or relative in hospital if you have flu or cold-like symptoms.
“If you’re visiting someone who may have, or is suspected to have coronavirus, our staff will consider the risks involved with your visit on a case-by-case basis, and you may be asked to wear some special equipment that will help protect you against the virus.
“You will be asked to return home after your visit and not to go to other areas in the hospital.”
The A&E hospital has also set up a pod to isolate potential coronavirus patients.
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has warned schools across London may close before Easter as the nation continues to battle the coronavirus outbreak.
Current Government guidance is that schools should remain open where possible, although anyone who displays symptoms - a high temperature and continuous cough - should stay at home for 14 days.
Some schools have already taken the decision to temporarily close due to students, staff or parents testing positive for Covid-19, while others have closed due to teachers self-isolating.
Speaking on Good Morning
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the Ealing hub, is treating patients suffering from the respiratory disease at its Northwick Park hospital in Harrow.
The statement added: “While this is a new coronavirus, our doctors have extensive experience of treating infectious diseases.
“We also have appropriate facilities designed to provide the best
Britain on Tuesday (March 17), Mr Khan said advice on school closures could change.
He said: “The advice is that it makes very little clinical difference in relation to closing schools but that advice may change in relation to what we do know is some teachers may be pregnant, others may have underlying health issues, a child may have a persistent cough or temperature which means mum, dad, carer decides to withdraw the child.”
He added: “I wouldn’t be surprised if, over the course of the two weeks before Easter, Government advice changes.”
Mr Khan said the Cobra meeting care for patients who have the virus whilst keeping everyone else being treated at Northwick Park Hospital safe.”
People are advised to stay at home if they have a high temperature or a new, continuous cough. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service for advice. Only call 111 if you cannot get help online. held on Monday (March 16) included discussions on provision for the care of the children of healthcare workers, as well as around children who receive free school meals.
He also called for frontline NHS workers to be prioritised in terms of testing for Covid-19.
He said: “If it’s the case that the tests are being rationed, can we make sure we triage so NHS workers, those in the front line are being tested to make sure they’re not, for the sake of safety, taking themselves from the front line to selfisolate when actually there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be working if they’ve been tested.”