Britain's NHS could be overwhelmed like Italy, Johnson warns on coronavirus

 

FILE PHOTO: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a news conference on the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in London, Britain March 20, 2020. Julian Simmonds/Pool via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's National Health Service (NHS) could be "overwhelmed" by the coronavirus like the Italian health system in just two weeks, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned.

 

The death toll in Italy reached almost 5,000 on Saturday, while in the UK it hit 233.

 

In comments carried in the Sunday Telegraph and other Sunday newspapers, Johnson again urged Britons to stay at home to stop the spread of the virus.

 

"Unless we act together, unless we make the heroic and collective national effort to slow the spread - then it is all too likely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed," he said.

 

"The Italians have a superb health-care system. And yet their doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand," Johnson noted.

 

He advised people to keep away from elderly parents on Mothering Sunday (March 22).

 

"The single best present that we can give ... is to spare them the risk of catching a very dangerous disease," he said.

 

Earlier, Britain urged 1.5 million people identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract coronavirus to not leave their homes to protect themselves.

 

On Friday, Johnson effectively closed down the United Kingdom, ordering pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and gyms to shut their doors to fight the virus.

 

Stores are also starting to shut.

 

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-22

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Yes highly probable. I spoke with friends today who are both NHS workers and they are stretched working up too 18 hour shifts.

 

Before anyone starts using a political rhetoric as a possible reasons.

 

Nobody could foresee this and countries like Italy, USA and others will also be overwhelmed. It is going to be the norm in most places.

I blame the Channel Tunnel!

 

Seriously though, unfortunately he may be right...

 

Spain's now reporting +1300 deaths.

 

France 562.

 

*Sad emoji*

 

 

Europe thanks PM Johnsson for basically kicking out EU healthcare workers from the UK by his gang's actions and culture they brought with them.

 

There are now more healthcare workers in the EU side. Please continue to kick out pesky EU foreigners outside from the UK.

 

 

This is why he should have locked the country down 2 weeks ago.

He could already see what had occurred in China and was unfolding in Italy but this bozo decided not to do it.

 

Europe’s Desperate Doctors Are Shielded by Trash Bags

Medical staff in Italy and Spain are struggling with a shortage of supplies and also getting infected themselves.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-21/europe-s-desperate-doctors-are-shielded-by-trash-bags

Private hospitals being opened up to the NHS to help with bed and staff shortages.

 

Team Thailand will of course be doing the same with so many private facilities nationwide especially the Bangkok hospital chain.

All health systems will become overwhelmed unless they flatten the curve to a manageable level.

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

This is why he should have locked the country down 2 weeks ago.

He could already see what had occurred in China and was unfolding in Italy but this bozo decided not to do it.

 

Why didn't you submit your CV when Cummings asked?

1 hour ago, TheDark said:

Europe thanks PM Johnsson for basically kicking out EU healthcare workers from the UK by his gang's actions and culture they brought with them.

 

There are now more healthcare workers in the EU side. Please continue to kick out pesky EU foreigners outside from the UK.

 

 

This might explain why France has been caught deliberately stopping and trying to divert (ie steal!) lorryloads of PPE destined for NHS hospitals 

1 hour ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Nobody could foresee this and countries like Italy, USA and others will also be overwhelmed. It is going to be the norm in most places.

You are joking, right?

 

The Robert Koch Institute published a paper in 2012 warning of a coronavirus pandemic and its implications.

 

The UK government, like the German government, should have been prepared since 2012. 

 

They chose to do nothing.

 

 

21 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Why didn't you submit your CV when Cummings asked?

Why dont you stop defending him.

Or if you are going to defend him post something relevant. 

 

28 minutes ago, englishoak said:

All health systems will become overwhelmed unless they flatten the curve to a manageable level.

 

Not really, the German health system seems to be doing extremely well with this challenge.

 

But then manufacturing is still alive in Germany and one of the world's leading manufacturers of respirators is German.

 

And in Germany they have 25000 ICU beds, not 4000 like in the UK.

8 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Why dont you stop defending him.

Or if you are going to defend him post something relevant. 

 

It's quite unbelievable that in this time of crisis that some people chose to vilify Boris and it is not because of Boris Johnsons performance on Covid 19, it is because of his past performance of removing the logjam that was parliament and scuppering any chance of there being a second referendum. The country needs to unite and stop all this unfounded bickering, he is listening to the finest experts in the land in our hour of need, he cannot do any more.

2 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Yes highly probable. I spoke with friends today who are both NHS workers and they are stretched working up too 18 hour shifts.

 

Before anyone starts using a political rhetoric as a possible reasons.

 

Nobody could foresee this and countries like Italy, USA and others will also be overwhelmed. It is going to be the norm in most places.

No , true …..But there was a certain opposition leader who hammered and hammered on the crippling of the NHS already before Corona disaster happened ,...blaiming the Conservatives government …...

 

That Also may be said !

 

Edited March 22, 20206 yr by david555

17 minutes ago, vogie said:

It's quite unbelievable that in this time of crisis that some people chose to vilify Boris and it is not because of Boris Johnsons performance on Covid 19, it is because of his past performance of removing the logjam that was parliament and scuppering any chance of there being a second referendum. The country needs to unite and stop all this unfounded bickering, he is listening to the finest experts in the land in our hour of need, he cannot do any more.

 

Have you looked at the CV of Sir Patrick Vallance? He's not a virologist. He has no body of work on viral medicine.

 

Perhaps appointing him was another mistake by Boris Johnson.

 

Nothing will top not preparing for a pandemic that was forecast as early as 2012, however.

 

All European governments should be sacked on that reckless 'do nothing' failure alone.

 

49 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Why dont you stop defending him.

Or if you are going to defend him post something relevant. 

 

I'm not among the cult constantly critiquing the Govt.

Edited March 22, 20206 yr by evadgib

30 minutes ago, vogie said:

It's quite unbelievable that in this time of crisis that some people chose to vilify Boris and it is not because of Boris Johnsons performance on Covid 19, it is because of his past performance of removing the logjam that was parliament and scuppering any chance of there being a second referendum. The country needs to unite and stop all this unfounded bickering, he is listening to the finest experts in the land in our hour of need, he cannot do any more.

So because he is "delivering Brexit" he is to be immune to all criticism because you agree with Brexit?

 

Dont I remember Brexiteers saying "What do experts know?" prior to the referendum. 

 

No the fact is Johnson is handling this corona outbreak very poorly. And you guys know it. When you say he is listening to the finest experts in the land you are wrong. Many experts wanted a shutdown 2 weeks ago but Johnson decided not to.  

1 hour ago, evadgib said:

This might explain why France has been caught deliberately stopping and trying to divert (ie steal!) lorryloads of PPE destined for NHS hospitals 

i would like you to substantiate and above all share a link so that I can understand. Thanks.    

2 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

So because he is "delivering Brexit" he is to be immune to all criticism because you agree with Brexit?

 

Dont I remember Brexiteers saying "What do experts know?" prior to the referendum. 

 

No the fact is Johnson is handling this corona outbreak very poorly. And you guys know it. When you say he is listening to the finest experts in the land you are wrong. Many experts wanted a shutdown 2 weeks ago but Johnson decided not to.  

Polls contradict what you are saying, overall most of our countrymen think the Covid 19 virus is being handled extremely well.

Who are these many experts, where they of the same calibre of Johnsons experts, I would think not, are you refering to a bunch of undergraduates who sent him 'advice'. He has to listen who he thinks is best and most people think he is doing just that.

But what ever Boris does it will be wrong to some on here, for reasons explained in my previous post.

 

The Ipsos MORI poll also shows:

• Just under half (47%) think Boris Johnson is handling the coronavirus crisis well (38% say badly). Two in five (39%) think Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been handling the crisis well (23% say badly). Two in five (41%) also say Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been handling the crisis well (13% say badly). And more than half (52%) say Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, has handled the crisis well (14% say badly).

https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/news-and-polls/overview

 

6 minutes ago, vogie said:

Polls contradict what you are saying, overall most of our countrymen think the Covid 19 virus is being handled extremely well.

 

And also 'Golden Times are just around the corner'.

 

It's the same people who believe that, right?

16 minutes ago, vogie said:

Polls contradict what you are saying, overall most of our countrymen think the Covid 19 virus is being handled extremely well.

Who are these many experts, where they of the same calibre of Johnsons experts, I would think not, are you refering to a bunch of undergraduates who sent him 'advice'. He has to listen who he thinks is best and most people think he is doing just that.

But what ever Boris does it will be wrong to some on here, for reasons explained in my previous post.

 

The Ipsos MORI poll also shows:

• Just under half (47%) think Boris Johnson is handling the coronavirus crisis well (38% say badly). Two in five (39%) think Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been handling the crisis well (23% say badly). Two in five (41%) also say Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been handling the crisis well (13% say badly). And more than half (52%) say Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, has handled the crisis well (14% say badly).

https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/news-and-polls/overview

 

Yes that shows that half the country still think he is the messiah. 

Lets see what the polls show next month when the army is being used to get rid of the number of corpses overwhelming the system.

2 hours ago, englishoak said:

All health systems will become overwhelmed unless they flatten the curve to a manageable level.

too late imo

24 minutes ago, vogie said:

Polls contradict what you are saying, overall most of our countrymen think the Covid 19 virus is being handled extremely well.

Who are these many experts, where they of the same calibre of Johnsons experts, I would think not, are you refering to a bunch of undergraduates who sent him 'advice'. He has to listen who he thinks is best and most people think he is doing just that.

But what ever Boris does it will be wrong to some on here, for reasons explained in my previous post.

 

The Ipsos MORI poll also shows:

• Just under half (47%) think Boris Johnson is handling the coronavirus crisis well (38% say badly). Two in five (39%) think Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been handling the crisis well (23% say badly). Two in five (41%) also say Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been handling the crisis well (13% say badly). And more than half (52%) say Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, has handled the crisis well (14% say badly).

https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/news-and-polls/overview

 

the whole world had a window of opportunity to shutdown and test, but because of the love for money that window is now closed..

6 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Yes that shows that half the country still think he is the messiah. 

Lets see what the polls show next month when the army is being used to get rid of the number of corpses overwhelming the system.

Trying your hand at being Septic Pegg now, you just contradict anything that anyone says.

6 minutes ago, vogie said:

Trying your hand at being Septic Pegg now, you just contradict anything that anyone says.

Guess we will find out next month.

2 hours ago, evadgib said:

Why didn't you submit your CV when Cummings asked?

He was looking for a higher level of quirky nut jobs.

So now Boris Johnson is warning that the NHS will be 'overwhelmed' and the 'numbers are stark'.

 

Didn't he say yesterday we will have this licked in 12 weeks?

 

You can't make it up.

1 minute ago, Rookiescot said:

Guess we will find out next month.

Funny when you are shown facts you turn into Mr Twisty.

1 minute ago, vogie said:

Funny when you are shown facts you turn into Mr Twisty.

Facts is it?

 

Shortages of beds. Shortages of staff. Shortages of PPE. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/21/doctors-warn-coronavirus-could-overwhelm-nhs-intensive-care