Field hospitals across England have been told to get ready to admit patients as capacity is pushed to the limit by surging coronavirus cases.
The Nightingale field hospitals were set up in the early phase of the pandemic at a cost of £220 million ($300m) to prevent the health network becoming overwhelmed.
The temporary facilities have largely remained empty since their opening but hospitals have been under significant strain in recent months.
The NHS in London has been asked to make sure the flagship London Nightingale hospital at the Excel Centre is "reactivated and ready to admit patients as needed".
According to the latest figures, there are currently more than 23,000 Covid patients in UK hospitals.
"The NHS in London is opening more beds in NHS hospitals across the capital to care for the most unwell patients. It is crucial that people do everything they can to reduce transmission of the virus,” a NHS spokesman said.
“In anticipation of pressures rising from the spread of the new variant infection, NHS London was asked to ensure the London Nightingale was reactivated and ready to admit patients as needed, and that process is under way.”
On Thursday, the UK reported another 50,023 new coronavirus cases as well as 981 deaths.
Three quarters of the English population are now under the toughest tier of coronavirus restrictions as authorities race to contain the new variant of the virus.
The reopening of secondary schools across the country has also been delayed. The exam-taking years 11 and 13 will now return on January 11 while other years will be back a week later on January 18.
Defending the delay, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “We’re having to take these extraordinary moves because we’re in an extraordinary situation.”
Scientists said the new variant of coronavirus spread fastest among children aged 10 to 14 during England’s November lockdown.
Prof Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at University of East Anglia, told the BBC: “All the indications are this new variant will continue to increase despite most people being in Tier 4.
“It’s going to be a very difficult few months until we get relief in spring to summer.”
Prof Hugh Montgomery, an intensive care doctor at University College Hospital in London, blamed people not sticking to social distancing for the surge in cases.
“Anyone who doesn't wear their mask – they have blood on their hands,” he told Times Radio.
“They are spreading this virus, then other people will spread it and people will die. They won't know they've killed people, but they have.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The five pillars of Islam
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
ATP RANKINGS (NOVEMBER 4)
1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,585 pts ( 1)
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,945 (-1)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,190
4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 ( 1)
7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2,945 (-1)
8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,670 ( 1)
9. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,540 ( 1)
10. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,530 ( 3)
11. David Goffin (BEL) 2,335 ( 3)
12. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,290
13. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 2,180 (-2)
14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,125 ( 1)
15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,050 ( 13)
16. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 2,000
17. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 1,840 (-9)
18. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 1,775
19. John Isner (USA) 1,770 (-2)
20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,747 ( 7)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
RECORD%20BREAKER
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The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
