OPERATIONS could be cancelled and patients sent home early to cope with the coronavirus outbreak, the government has warned.
The potential measures are part of Boris Johnson’s battle plan to kill off the deadly bug in Britain.
Read our coronavirus live blog for all the latest news and updates
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It warns that if the outbreak becomes widespread, the NHS may have to temporarily delay and reduce non-urgent care.
Staff roster changes could also be necessary – which would involve “calling leavers and retirees back to duty”.
Health and social care services will work to achieve early discharge of patients from hospital so more people can be cared for in their own homes, it says.
The public has been urged to support the UK response by “being understanding of the pressures the health and social care systems may be under, and receptive to changes that may be needed to the provision of care to you and your family”.
Increased pressures
People can also help by checking on elderly or vulnerable family, friends and neighbours.
The document continued: “Everyone will face increased pressures at work, as well as potentially their own personal illness or caring responsibilities.
“Supporting staff welfare will be critical to supporting an extended response.”
With some school closures already in force, a Department for Education helpline is being set up to manage increasing queries from institutions and parents.
The Government is also working with our “critical national infrastructure partners” to “minimise any impacts that could disrupt the daily services on which the UK depends”.
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Meanwhile, six million Brits could be off sick during the peak of the Covid-19 outbreak, the document warns.
Widespread transmission of the killer bug may also cause the police to drop low-priority cases.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced the government’s coronavirus “battle plan” – as the number of UK cases rose to 51 today.
The 27-page document unveiled today sets out the UK-wide response to Covid-19 amid widespread concerns about the impact the virus will have on people’s wellbeing, the economy and public services.
Measures aimed at delaying the spread of the virus could include school closures, “reducing the number of large-scale gatherings” and encouraging greater home working.
Four-stage response
The Government’s response is in four stages: containing the outbreak, delaying its spread and mitigating the impact of the disease once it becomes established, and alongside that, a research programme is aimed at improving diagnostics and treatment for the disease.
Launching the plan at a press conference in 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had “no doubt at all” that the “country is going to get through coronavirus, and get through it in good shape”.
But he stressed it was “highly likely” the number of coronavirus cases in the UK will rise.
The global spread of the virus and it is highly likely that we will see a growing number of UK cases
Boris Johnson
He said: “Let me be absolutely clear that for the overwhelming majority of people who contract the virus, this will be a mild disease from which they will speedily and fully recover, as we have already seen.
“But I fully understand public concern, your concern, about the global spread of the virus and it is highly likely that we will see a growing number of UK cases, and that’s why keeping the country safe is the Government’s overriding priority, and our plan means we are committed to doing everything possible, based on the advice of our world-leading scientific experts, to prepare for all eventualities.”
Amid warnings about the impact on the global economy, and with Chancellor Rishi Sunak forced to draw up plans in his Budget to counter the disease, the document acknowledges the potential impact on businesses.
“In a stretching scenario, it is possible that up to one fifth of employees may be absent from work during peak weeks.”
Your rights if you have to take time off work amid coronavirus outbreak
UK workers are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) so long as they have started working for an employer, are sick for at least four days in a row and earn on average at least £118 per week (£6,136 per year).
These rules still apply if you are working on a part-time or fixed-term contract.
Citizens Advice also recommends asking for sick pay if you are on a zero hours contract and to ask for an explanation if they refuse.
People who are not entitled to sick leave include people who are self-employed, members of the armed forces, people who have received Employment and Support Allowance in the past three months, people in legal custody or those who have already received SSP for 28 weeks.
Your employer can choose to pay you your full salary while you are off sick but the statutory minimum entitlement is currently £94.25 per week.
It’s worth checking with your employer what their policy is.
Some may require you to provide a letter from a doctor after five days, but it will vary based on your contract.
What to do if your employer refuses sick pay?
Unfortunately, debt charity Citizens Advice warns employers do try to exploit confusion about workers’ rights to wriggle out of paying.
It says they use tactics such as changing rotas to make it look like workers are not supposed to be in on the day they call in sick.
If you think your boss is refusing to pay you what you think you are owed, tell them they must fill in a government sick pay form explaining their reasons and handed it back to you.
Once they have done that you need to contact HM Revenue and Customs on 0300 200 3200 which will decide if you are entitled to sick pay or not.
If your boss till won’t cough up, contact ACAS which will negotiate with them on your behalf.
The Government’s response is currently in the containment phase, along with research being carried out and planning for the delay and mitigation work.
Officials hope to delay the peak of the virus until the warmer spring and summer months when health services are less busy.
Once the disease is established, mitigation measures will be introduced which could include:
- Police concentrating on serious crimes and maintaining public order if faced with a significant loss of officers and staff
- The NHS delaying non-urgent care, with staff rostering changes and calling retired staff back to duty
- Working with local authorities to deal with the challenge of what could “well be an increase in deaths”, particularly among vulnerable and elderly patients
- A “distribution strategy” for the UK’s stockpiles of key medicines and equipment such as protective clothing, which will cover the NHS, and could extend to social care
In a sign that the military could be called in to help with the efforts, the document said there are “well-practised arrangements for defence to provide support to civil authorities if requested”.
The strategy includes a “war room” to bring together communications experts and scientists from across Government and the NHS to roll out a public information campaign.
Legislation allowing the Government to use extra powers to help control Covid-19 is expected to go through Parliament by the end of the month.
What to do if you’re worried you’ve got coronavirus
The new coronavirus is continuing to sweep its way across the globe with Britain seeing more cases in people who aren’t linked to outbreaks overseas.
Symptoms of Covid-19 can include:
- a cough
- a high temperature
- difficulty breathing
In most cases, you won’t know whether you have a coronavirus or a different cold-causing virus.
But if a coronavirus infection spreads to the lower respiratory tract, it can cause pneumonia, especially in older people, people with heart disease or people with weakened immune systems.
It is incredibly contagious and is spread through contact with anything the virus is on as well as infected breath, coughs or sneezes.
The best way to prevent catching any form of coronavirus is to practice good hygiene.
If you have cold-like symptoms, you can help protect others by staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with others.
You should also cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze then throw it away and wash your hands.
Cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces which you may have touched is also important.
Meanwhile, leading symptom-checking provider to the NHS Doctorlink has been updated to help identify patients’ risk of having coronavirus.
Source: NHS
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday that the number of home ventilation kits is being expanded as part of an effort to keep people out of hospitals.
He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “A lot of people, not least because it is mild, will be best off at home than in hospital, so we are expanding the number of home ventilation kits that are available so that can be done.
“The NHS, of course, has a full plan for this and prepares for this even when there isn’t an outbreak.”
Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast: “It’s quite unusual for a Government to publish a plan with things in it we hope we won’t have to do.”
Asked about the cancellation of mass gatherings such as the London Marathon at the end of April, Mr Hancock said: “It’s far too early to be able to tell in that instance.
“What we can say for sure is that, right now, we do not recommend the cancelling of mass events, and schools as well should not be closing unless there is both a positive case and the school has had the advice to close from Public Health England.
“So, right now, as long as you wash your hands more often, that is the number one thing you can do to keep you and the country safe.”
Mr Hancock said he understood why people may not want to shake hands, but added: “The scientific advice is that the impact of shaking hands is negligible and what really matters is that you wash your hands more often.”
