NHS boss backtracks on call to shut city’s schools
HOSPITAL CHIEF CLARIFIES HIS VIEW
THE man in charge of Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital has spoken out for the first time since seemingly calling for schools to be closed to reduce the surge in coronavirus cases.
In an interview with Sky News, Chris Long, the chief executive of the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust called for a major tightening of lockdown 2 restrictions.
Speaking as Hull returned to the number one position in the national infection rate table, he said the tougher measures “would have to” include Hull and the East Riding’s schools being shut.
But in a statement yesterday, he appeared to have stepped back from the remarks.
On Sunday, 769.5 people in every 100,000 were known to have Covid-19, up from 744.5 on Saturday.
With the city continuing to struggle and amid fears that the trust’s hospitals may become overwhelmed with coronavirus patients in the coming weeks, Chris Long said: “We know that the first range of lockdown, that was pretty total, worked and it did stop the infection rate.
“I’m afraid we need to be thinking along those lines again before we
I fully appreciate this is an extremely difficult decision and one that can only be taken by politicians on the advice of expert scientists
can start deploying the vaccine to a significant part of the population. “I’m afraid it would have to [include schools], and in other parts of the country, too.
“The actions that we take now are the ones that will prevent the spread and this means more restrictions.” However, in a statement released by the trust to the BBC
Mr Long stepped back comments.
While maintaining his stance on closing schools to be the right course of action, he made clear it is not a decision he can influence.
“During an interview I said that the first lockdown was extremely effective in reducing the transmission of Covid-19 and that we might need to consider a similar approach to inhibit the spread during the second surge in cases,” the statement read.
“When asked if this may include yesterday, from his closing schools, I said ‘yes’, however I fully appreciate this is an extremely difficult decision and one that can only be taken by politicians on the advice of expert scientists.
“It is not something which I am openly calling for and I understand that there are many others social and economic factors to be considered alongside the pressure on hospitals.
“We will work with Government, the wider NHS and out local population to beat this virus and we fully support the measures which are currently in place.”
Chris Long