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NHS chief executive Simon Stevens spoke at a press conference with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and said: “New treatments are being trialled and tested and death rates have already halved.
“GP’s are working hard with flu vaccines which is so important as if you have flu and COVID-19 at the same time you’re twice as likely to die from coronavirus than you otherwise would.
“That’s why it is great that two and a half million more people would have had their flu jab this time this year compared to this time last year.
“I had previously asked some of my NHS staff what they would like to say to the viewers today and they mentioned three points. “Firstly that the second wave is real and serious, secondly the health service is working hard to prepare and catch up on the care which was previously disrupted and thirdly that this catch up is crucially dependant on what happens with the growth of the coronavirus.
“We are seeing a big increase in the number of patients in the hospital.
“The number of patients being looked after in hospitals beginning of Oct 2000 patients and now in November it is already at 11,000 patients.
“We are seeing a big increase in the number of patients in the hospital.
“The number of patients being looked after in hospitals beginning of Oct 2000 patients and now in November it is already at 11,000 patients.
“This is equivalent to 22 of our hospital across England that are full.
“11,000 patients currently in the hospitals compare with 3000 patients who are normally in the hospital with flu.
“This is not speculation its fact will have knock on consequences.
“Hospital are filling up in Netherlands Spain, France and Germany and France.
“In France, their ICU units will likely be full in the next few weeks and France will be running out of beds soon.
“There are prospects for COVID-19 vaccines and the NHS want to be ready to administer these as soon as they are available.
“Extra equipment is being made in hospitals, we are expanding ICU’s and 159 A and E’s are getting investment to be able to separate the COVID-19 patients from the non-COVID-19 patients.
“We have expanded testing and we have a four-month PPE stockpile and nurse, and doctors are going hammer and tong to catch up on the disruptive care that happened on the first wave.
“More than one million people today would have seen their GPs and cancer treatment are back at their normal level.
“Routine operations in parts of the country are now back and approaching their normal level.
“So, preparation has been substantial.
“My third point is we need to protect the NHS, help us help you.
“Protect our ability to offer the full range of health services.
“Staff working flat out with more nurses now than a year ago.
“It’s a stressful time but in conclusion I would like to repeat what I heard from an intensive care doctor who said in the here and now we can’t stop cancer developing.
“In the here and now we can’t immediately prevent heart attacks, but we can reduce the spread of coronavirus in the community and that is what we need to do.”
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