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Securing more personal protective equipment was top of the agenda for the Prime Minister as he returned to work, his official spokesman said.
Downing Street said that Boris Johnson used his first meeting of the Covid-19 war Cabinet since his recovery from coronavirus to focus on the need to secure PPE supplies.
It comes amid considerable criticism over shortages of equipment needed to keep staff safe on the frontline as they care for patients.
Earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said “too many” frontline workers have died during the fight against coronavirus “and we owe them a huge debt”.
The Government defended its record on PPE, following a critical BBC Panorama investigation, with the PM’s spokesman saying “we have been working to secure gowns and other PPE from across the globe – and domestically – for a number of months”.
Some 12 million items of PPE were delivered on Monday to 227 trusts and care settings, including gloves, aprons, three different types of masks, eye protectors and gowns.
It comes after the nation fell silent for a minute on Tuesday morning to remember key workers who have lost their lives after being diagnosed with Covid-19.
Coronavirus hits the UK – In pictures
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Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield
PA
2/46
An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London’s Piccadilly Circus
PA
3/46
Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown
Andrew Parsons
4/46
Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas’ hospital
Getty Images
5/46
Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in “PE with Joe” a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak
PA
6/46
Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno
@AndrewStuart via PA
7/46
Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed
8/46
London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London.
Matt Writtle
9/46
A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus
PA
10/46
Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue
Reuters
11/46
A young man cuts another man’s hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford
Reuters
12/46
General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London
via Reuters
13/46
Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues
Reuters
14/46
A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace
Getty Images
15/46
A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home
PA
16/46
Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
17/46
Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers
PA
18/46
A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of “panic buying” cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus.
Getty Images
19/46
People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour
PA
20/46
Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus
PA
21/46
Children are painting ‘Chase the rainbows’ artwork and springing up in windows across the country
Reuters
22/46
Social distancing in Primrose Hill
Jeremy Selwyn
23/46
Westminster Bridge is deserted
PA
24/46
A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended
PA
25/46
An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station
Jeremy Selwyn
26/46
Homeless people in London
AFP via Getty Images
27/46
A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow’s street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss
PA
28/46
The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic
PA
29/46
A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world
Reuters
30/46
Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside
PA
31/46
Britain’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street
Reuters
32/46
The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh’s Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
33/46
Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
PA
34/46
A sign at a Sainsbury’s supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world
Reuters
35/46
Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
36/46
A sign advertising a book titled “How Will We Survive On Earth?”
Getty Images
37/46
A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria
Jeremy Selwyn
38/46
A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads “Diseases are in the City” in Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
39/46
Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors
PA
40/46
A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh
PA
41/46
A quieter than usual British Museum
Getty Images
42/46
A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask
SplashNews.com
43/46
A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station
Jeremy Selwyn
44/46
A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre
Getty Images
45/46
A deserted Trafalgar Square in London
PA
46/46
Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport
Getty Images
1/46
Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield
PA
2/46
An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London’s Piccadilly Circus
PA
3/46
Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown
Andrew Parsons
4/46
Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas’ hospital
Getty Images
5/46
Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in “PE with Joe” a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak
PA
6/46
Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno
@AndrewStuart via PA
7/46
Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed
8/46
London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London.
Matt Writtle
9/46
A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus
PA
10/46
Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue
Reuters
11/46
A young man cuts another man’s hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford
Reuters
12/46
General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London
via Reuters
13/46
Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues
Reuters
14/46
A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace
Getty Images
15/46
A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home
PA
16/46
Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
17/46
Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers
PA
18/46
A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of “panic buying” cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus.
Getty Images
19/46
People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour
PA
20/46
Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus
PA
21/46
Children are painting ‘Chase the rainbows’ artwork and springing up in windows across the country
Reuters
22/46
Social distancing in Primrose Hill
Jeremy Selwyn
23/46
Westminster Bridge is deserted
PA
24/46
A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended
PA
25/46
An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station
Jeremy Selwyn
26/46
Homeless people in London
AFP via Getty Images
27/46
A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow’s street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss
PA
28/46
The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic
PA
29/46
A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world
Reuters
30/46
Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside
PA
31/46
Britain’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street
Reuters
32/46
The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh’s Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
33/46
Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
PA
34/46
A sign at a Sainsbury’s supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world
Reuters
35/46
Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
36/46
A sign advertising a book titled “How Will We Survive On Earth?”
Getty Images
37/46
A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria
Jeremy Selwyn
38/46
A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads “Diseases are in the City” in Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
39/46
Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors
PA
40/46
A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh
PA
41/46
A quieter than usual British Museum
Getty Images
42/46
A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask
SplashNews.com
43/46
A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station
Jeremy Selwyn
44/46
A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre
Getty Images
45/46
A deserted Trafalgar Square in London
PA
46/46
Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport
Getty Images
At least 82 NHS and 16 social care staff have died, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed on Monday.
Mr Hancock has been urged to issue a public apology over PPE shortages by the son of a doctor who died after warning the Government about a lack of the equipment.
Intisar Chowdhury, the son of Dr Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, who died earlier this month after being diagnosed with Covid-19, challenged the Health Secretary during a live phone in on LBC.
Five days before he was admitted to hospital, Dr Chowdhury, 53, wrote a Facebook post asking Mr Johnson to urgently provide every NHS worker with PPE.
“We took very, very seriously what your father said and we’ve been working around the clock to ensure that there’s enough protective equipment and in the case of anybody who works in the NHS or in social care and has died from coronavirus we look into it in each case to find out the reasons where they might have caught it and what lessons we can learn,” Mr Hancock said.
Mr Hancock said the Government has distributed more than a billion items of PPE.
He was asked by host Nick Ferrari whether he accepted that mistakes were made in the provision of PPE.
He replied: “Well, there are things that we’ve changed as we’ve gone through, both because we’ve learnt more things about the virus, also because things didn’t work out as we expected.”
