THE CAVALRY
Soldiers will help to keep nurses safe VIRUS JOBS BOOST
THE Army was last night drafted in to help the nation battle coronavirus.
Squaddies will distribute much needed supplies to frontline NHS staff fighting the pandemic.
Hospitals will receive deliveries of extra protective equipment, including face masks, around the clock to stop health workers catching the virus.
NHS England said “millions more items” of protective equipment had been delivered over the last few days to hospitals, ambulance trusts and care homes.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock called on people to think of the next few months as “like a war effort”.
Vowing to get the right supplies to brave NHS staff, he said: “We have got to get them the armour – that’s it.”
It comes after 4,000 NHS workers called on Boris Johnson to “protect the lives of the lifesavers” and fix the “unacceptable” shortage of protective equipment.
They demanded the PM ensure an adequate supply of masks, safety glasses, gloves, aprons and protective suits.
NHS England said the Army would “play its part” from this week.
Emily Lawson, NHS chief commercial officer, said: “We need a massively increased, urgent volume of these supplies to the frontline in this exceptional set of circumstances.
“Working with our partners, we are now seeing much increased capacity, and a more responsive supply chain to help take us through the coronavirus outbreak.
“We are extremely grateful for the Army’s support in doing so.”
DEMAND for warehouse workers has surged by 31% in one month as retailers seek to beef up supply chains. Asda, Co-op, Morrisons and Tesco have all announced plans for thousands of new jobs to help them to provide home deliveries.
Pawel Adrjan, of Indeed, said: “Britain’s jobs market is being transformed by the Covid-19 outbreak.”