We could be over the worst of the coronavirus outbreak by Easter if we all do our bit and follow the current guidelines.
According to an expert government adviser, the peak in cases is likely to come in around two to three weeks
Deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, thinks we might be through the worst of it in that time frame, adding: “If people have cut down their social interactions, we would start to see a change in the graph. The peak will be pushed forward but the height will be lower and we can manage NHS hospital care safely.”
The NHS should be able to cope with the crisis, but only if we all do our bit and practice the government’s lockdown advice on social distancing and self-isolation.
Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government, took the opportunity at yesterday’s No10 briefing to urge everyone to follow these guidelines, so as to help reduce the pressure on the health service.
He said: “Providing people keep to social distancing measures that will help to pull down the demand, a very long way. It is how the general public are helping to protect the NHS.
“We are increasing supply by pushing back things that can be postponed, and increasing critical care and ventilators in the next few weeks.”
According to Professor Whitty, if we all follow the rules put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19, it will ‘probably be manageable for the NHS’, adding: “We cannot guarantee that, but that is what we are planning for and what we intend to happen”.
For more info on the current UK advise on coronavirus, head over to the government website here.
