NHS boss: We must all help knock virus off its perch
THE boss of the NHS pleaded for people to obey the new lockdown and knock the virus ‘off its perch’, while warning that the second wave is ‘serious’.
Sir Simon Stevens revealed 30,000 NHS staff are infected with Covid or self-isolating as a precaution, as he appeared alongside Boris Johnson at a Downing Street press conference.
And he said that a normal Christmas could be in jeopardy unless the lockdown works.
‘It depends on how successful we can be over the next four weeks,’ he warned. ‘We’ve all got a shared endeavour to knock this thing off its perch.’
Sir Simon (pictured) produced a chart showing that the number of coronavirus patients in England’s hospitals has jumped from 2,000 to more than 11,000 in the last month.
‘That is 22 hospitals full,’ he said. ‘Today’s infection rate is the intensive care order book for a fortnight’s time.’
However, he said new treatments were helping to bring patients’ death rates down and he was confident a vaccine is on its way.
‘The ones that are likely to come soonest are some of the most innovative,’ he said. ‘ We will have multiple opportunities for vaccines.’
The prime minister told the conference that he knew people felt ‘frustrated’ by the lockdown. But he repeated his claim that it should end on December 2.
‘If we follow this package of measures I’ve no doubt people will be able to have as normal a Christmas as possible,’ he said.
He added test and trace would become less important as faster tests roll out, with a city-wide scheme starting in Liverpool today.
‘I’m going to accept many of the criticisms people make of Test and Trace,’ he said. ‘It hasn’t had as much impact as we would have wanted, but it’s had an effect in reducing the spread.’ Mr Johnson insisted the second lockdown is not a repeat of the first. He hailed the new ‘tripod’ of better treatment, faster tests and the prospect of a vaccine, with more than 200 now in development.
‘The number of shots that are raining down on the goal is very considerable and I believe that one will get through soon,’ he said.