“As it stands on a daily basis we have to make some very hard decisions as to who we can admit, and who
we can’t. My worry is, that these decisions are only going to get harder and more frequent.
“It’s like the scene in Austin Powers where the man is standing in front of the steam roller. It’s very slowly
coming towards us, we know it’s going to happen, but we can’t stop it, and it will crush us.”
Some nurses and doctors were concerned about being able to cope if large numbers of their colleagues
became sick or had to stay home to look after children in the event schools were closed. They added: “I’m
not sure what NHS organisations can do, but someone certainly needs to think about childcare if we are
going to keep our nurses and doctors coming to work.”
Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, and asked about the NHS’ ability to cope, the chief medical
officer said: “The NHS will always cope because the NHS is an emergency service that is very good at
adapting to what it finds itself with.
“If this turns into a very large epidemic, then it will put very high pressure on NHS and that is one of the
reasons we have a very clear strategy made up of four, which the prime minister laid out yesterday to
contain this virus.
“But if it can’t be contained, to delay into the summer months or late spring when it is easier for the NHS to
cope with it. To do the research necessary to have the best treatments available and then to mitigate. And
mitigate means getting the NHS and wider society ready for several weeks which could be very difficult.”
A spokesperson for NHS England said: “As the chief medical officer has said, as coronavirus expands, the
NHS will flex its response in line with well-established escalation plans. Hospitals have been advised on
what next steps they need to take to respond to any outbreak.
“Hardworking staff are working round the clock to test and treat patients with coronavirus but the public
can also play their part by following health advice, including washing their hands and covering their mouths
when they cough or sneeze. If anyone is worried about symptoms, they can use the new 111 online service
for help and advice on coronavirus.”