LONDON (AP) – The Mayor of London said on Friday that the COVID-19 situation in the capital is critical, due to deteriorating conditions for the beleaguered hospitals as the country has approved a third emergency vaccine.
Sadiq Khan declared a “major incident” as the rapid spread of the virus pushed hospitals to a breaking point, with the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients rising 27% in the week to Jan. 6. One in 30 people in the British capital was infected with the virus in the week to January 2, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Other emergency services are also under pressure: hundreds of firefighters now drive ambulances, for example.
“Our heroic doctors, nurses and NHS staff are doing a great job, but with the number of cases increasing so rapidly, our hospitals are at risk of being overwhelmed,” Khan said. “The harsh reality is that patients’ beds will run out in the coming weeks unless the spread of the virus slows down drastically.”
A major incident is defined as one in which there is a risk to life and well-being and “is outside the normal course of events.” It allows coordination between different emergency services and allows London to request assistance from other areas.
Khan, a member of the opposition Labor Party, also wrote to Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking for more financial support for Londoners who have to isolate themselves and cannot work, and called for masks to be worn even in crowded outdoor spaces like indoors.
The move comes as more good news on the fight against the virus emerged with the approval of the Moderna vaccine, as the country launches a vaccination program crucial to getting the UK out of the pandemic.
The Department of Health said Friday that the vaccine meets “strict safety, efficacy and quality standards” set by the UK medicines regulatory agency. Britain has ordered 17 million doses to be delivered by spring.
“Vaccines are the key to freeing us all from the grip of this pandemic, and today’s news is another important step to end the lockdown and return to normal life,” said business secretary Alok Sharma.
To date, Britain has vaccinated 1.5 million people with the vaccines Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford University-AstraZeneca. It plans to vaccinate about 15 million people by mid-February.
The authorization comes as the need for such help grows.
Simon Stevens, NHS England Chief Executive, said on Thursday that the pressures facing hospitals in London and the south east of England are so acute that a temporary field hospital will be opened next week at the ExCel London conference center.
The hospital was one of many built in the spring to help during the pandemic, but it was not used extensively.
“The entire health service in London is mobilizing to do everything possible, but the infections, the speed of admissions, that’s what the country needs to collectively control,” said Stevens.
The UK is registering virus-related deaths at levels last seen during the worst days at the start of the pandemic. On Thursday, government figures showed that a further 1,162 people had died within 28 days of a positive test for the virus.
The total virus-related death toll in the UK is now 78,508. According to figures from Johns Hopkins University, the UK has the most COVID-related deaths in Europe and the fifth highest in the world.
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