As the UK ramps up its efforts to combat the Coronavirus outbreak, a number of cities have been spotted making new preparations to care for those infected – and it appears Sheffield could be the next Northern city to be playing a huge part in the fight.
Following the news that Harrogate Convention Centre would be transformed into a Nightingale Hospital, a post has gone viral on Facebook showing a number of workers pulling medical equipment into the space.
Confirming the public’s suspicions on Twitter, Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford shed some light on the activity, saying in a tweet that he’d been speaking with the NHS in Rotherham, and that “They are using Sheffield Arena as a big PPE centre and will use this as the main warehouse during the crisis.”
The news is particularly welcome, as NHS staff across the country complain about the lack of PPE provided during the pandemic, with two nurses so far confirmed to have lost their lives after being infected with COVID-19, according to the BBC.
Just this week, nurse’s union RCN demanded clarity on PPE supplies, saying “We must, as a matter of urgency, get absolute clarity about how much stock we have, where it is, how is it being distributed and how much is definitely on the way.
“We will no longer accept promises – we must now deal in facts.”
The virus has so far claimed the lives of 3,605 Brits*, with 38,168 cases confirmed across the UK. Daily cases have doubled this week as testing increases, with over 4,000 cases confirmed just yesterday, in comparison to approximately 2,000 cases daily last week.
*Data accurate as of 3rd April
[Featured image: Unsplash]
