Drive ambulances and retrieve bodies

firefighters and others are protected in terms of personal protective equipment because no-one can do their job if their own safety is compromised.”

It comes as the Metropolitan Police Service and London Ambulance Service urged former workers to return to the service or come out of retirement.

Met Commissioner Cressida Dick is writing to all former officers who retired within the past five years to ask them to rejoin the force, either in a paid or voluntary capacity.

Serving officers who are nearing 30 years’ pensionable service are also being asked to delay their retirement.

Ms Dick said: “On behalf of London, and all the men and women of the Met, it is important that we take all reasonable steps to bolster our numbers.

“Demands on us will grow and vary over the coming weeks but I want people to know and see that the Met is here for them.”

Meanwhile, the London Ambulance Service tweeted that it was “asking former members of our team to consider returning, if they can, to support us in helping Londoners in need.”

It added: “We’re particularly keen to hear from former 111 and 999 control room team staff.”

Emergency services are among those whose staff have gone off sick with Covid-19 or who have employees in isolation.

As of Tuesday, at least 280 workers in the London Fire Brigade were in isolation (5% of its overall staff ), while the West Midlands Fire Service, which covers Birmingham, had 105 staff in isolation (5.5% of staff ) and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had 285 staff in isolation, according to the FBU.