Transcripts For CSPAN2 U.K. Government Officals Holds Corona

Welcome everyone to the governments daily briefing. Im joined today by the chief executive of the nhs Simon Stephen and deputy chief medical officer jenny harris area id like to update you all on the facts of the spread of covid19 and the steps that we are taking in the battle against the coronavirus. 130,777 people have now been tested for the virus. Of those, 14,543 have tested positive. Increase in the last day of 2885. That scientific analysis now is at the rate of infection has been doubling every 3 to 4 days. Of those who have contracted the virus , 759 have sadly died. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have passed away. These figures are a powerful reminder of the need for all of us to. We need to slow the spread of the virus and strengthen the nhss ability to protect us all. Social distancing measures have been put in place to restrict the spread of covid19. So fewer people should need hospital treatment at any one time. The measures that we put in place our scientific and medical advice and are designed to reduce the rate of infection. And as well as acting to slowthe spread of the virus, we are also acting to strengthen the nhs. 2x we are expanding the number of beds available, increasing the number of hospitals, also investing in lifesaving equipment for those with severe symptoms to get people the care they need and when they need it most. Id like to thank all those involved in this effort to reinforce the front line in the battle against the virus. The military personnel are helping to fit out the new hospital in east london and helping to distribute personal protective equipment. The amazing doctors, nurses and supporters in our nhs. Those in manufacturing risen to the challenge of producing new ventilators. On the hundreds of thousands who volunteer to help in innumerable ways. This is a United National effort. The spirit of selflessness shown my soulmate is truly inspiring. This virus of course affects us all. As youll no doubt already aware Prime Minister has coronavirus and is self isolating iphone in danbury. He began experiencing mild symptoms yesterday afternoon and was tested on the advice of englands chief medical officer , professor. The Prime Minister is continuing to lead the governments response to coronavirus chairing meetings and mitigating with key members of his team through videoconferences. An earlier today the Prime Minister led the effort in launching our latest front in the fight against 19. The today i can announce the Prime Minister had brought together businesses, Research Institutes and universities in a new alliance to Testing Capacity for frontline workers. Increasing our Testing Capacity is absolutely crucial in our response to an hour fight against coronavirus. This is a particular priority for those who worked in the healthcare sector and are working so hard to keep us all safe. This will be testing whether people currently have the disease so that our health and social care workers and have security in the knowledge that they are safe to return to work if their test is negative. These tests will be trials for people on the front line starting immediately with hundreds to take place by the end of the weekend , dramatically scaling up next week. And of course protecting our frontline workers is atthe forefront of everyones mind at the moment. Millions of people made a fantastic tribute to the heroes and heroines ofthe nhs when they stepped outside their front doors and clapped. And alongside those in health and social care i want to thank those who work in preproduction and retail, those who work for the royal mail and public transport. Our teachers and our social workers. They all deserve our gratitude and having talked to business, Civil Servants and volunteers and ministers in the administration in scotland wales and Northern Ireland i want to report my admiration for the National Solidarity in the fight against this disease. All of us can support our nhs by continuing to follow the quarantine. Stay at home, protect our nhs andsave lives. I will now turn to the chief executive of the nhs simon stevens. Thank you michael today over 6200 confirmed positive coronavirus patients are in hospital across england. And we know that number is only bound to rise over the coming days. Thats why as michael says it is so important that everybody follows the medical advice to stay at home and in so doing save lives but it is also why the nhs is making an extraordinary effort across this country to ensure that we have care for those patients who need looking after from coronavirus. Thats why nhs staff are pulling out all the stops in an unprecedented response to this Global Health emergency. Today across england we have reconfigured Hospital Services so that 33,000 hospital beds are available to treat further coronavirus patients. Its also why we are taking the extraordinary action to build new hospitals in very short order, starting with the nhs Nightingale Hospital in east london. And today because this is a problem of course not just confined to london across the whole country, i have given the goahead to the building of two further of the nhs in the hospital beginning at the National Exhibition center and the Manchester Central Convention Center with further such hospitals to follow. In doing that i want to pay tribute to the contributions not just of nhs staff but the support we are getting from volunteers from the armed forces, from social care, from all of our partners. It is remarkable i think that in just the last two weeks, weve seen 18,000 doctors and nurses returned to practice on the General Medical Council and Nursing Medical Council registers answering the call to arms. And it was there for very gratifying for our staff across the nhs to see this remarkable outpouring in the class or care last night. The many nurses coming home from a day at hospital for other staff returning to start again for the night shift, it would have meant an enormous amount to know the whole country is behind. But the best way we can show that support of course is actually by doing what will take to reduce the rate of infection because even simple actions following this advice will save lives. Thank you very much simon. I will turn to the media to take questions and i think our first question was for vicki young of the bbc. Vicki. The Prime Minister has coronavirus, the Health Officer as well and the chief medical officer is in isolation. People will be looking at this and wondering whether you havent been taking your own advice or you may be acting too slowly when it comes to stopping the spread of coronavirus. Another question to simon stevens, we have countless patients in touch with the bbc very worried about the cancellation of the treatment or operations, many worried for their own lives maybe being put at risk. And the questions for professor herron, can you be more precise about the this outbreak area. Thank you vicki, ill turn to simon jenny in a second. I think the fact that both the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary have contracted the virus is a reminder that the virus does not discriminate. We are all at risk and that is why it is so important we practice social distancing measures. Those are in place in government, ministers are working remotely from home using videoconferencing in order to make sure we can follow the advice that all of us should be following in order to helpprotect the nhs. On the question of cancer care, we do want essential and urgent counsel treatment to continue but that counsel specialists should have the opportunity with their patients to decide whether it is more risky for somebody to embark on treatment at this particular time given that you are more vulnerable to infection if you begin a course of treatment at chemo or become immunocompromised. So those clinical decisions will need to be taken. Weve also agreed and landmark deal for all the independent hospitals across the country which has given us the ability to look after patients away from the busy hospitals that are treating coronavirus. And in london for example, the Royal Marsden is there for broadbased cancer care across the capital so that even if patients are being looked after their local hospital they will begetting the care they need. But these are very difficult and sensitive judgments that need to be made for the full involvement of cancer clinicians as well as patients. Im going to be a little bit repetitive but the same question i think was asked yesterday from adifferent media colleague. It would be shocking to predict precisely when we expect it to be, not least because we have put in social distancing interventions and we are looking to see how well they work. As i said yesterday this is an indication that the public are really now feeding advice and we thank them for that. Its really important that they continue to do that. We do not expect to see a significant change in this numbers in two or three weeks so we need people to stick with us and stick tothose social distancing interventions or that. We are monitoring that daytoday and when we got from production we will be happy to sharethat with you. On that note carl gibbons of itv. Thank you mister gove. Good news weve heard the Prime Minister is experiencing mild symptoms but id like to what is the plan should he not continue his work. And also, given that theyre developing a minute to the number of care, what is the safety of testing people like yourself or the people of government are feeling the effects . Will call it only mild symptoms, he took part in, he chaired a Video Conference earlier today and he was able to marshal the resources of the nhs and Government Department and indeed the private sector in order to bring forward the Testing Initiative we announced today but ill hand it over to jenny to say a little bit more about the testing protocols by the way in which people are tested in a little bit. Then ill say a little bit more about our ambitions to support frontline nhs staff with the extension of testing so jenny first. As ive stated previously the primary objective of all our testing is to ensure that we manage critical cases safely. So those patients are admitted to intensive care with pneumonia, they are the ones we are focusing on again, for other admissions in the hospital for those conditions, we test routinely in some other very specific areas so care homes where we know there are critical patients at high risk and where there is a higher risk to the spread. The basis of all of this is at first you must have clinical symptoms, the default position with that is you would not be tested and then the only other criteria would be the centrality of your role in covid19 response and in this pacific case im sure your viewers will understandthe Prime Minister plays acritical role in that and thats the basis for the answer. Thank you jenny. From an nhs perspective we think it is urgently important we are able to test frontline staff are sick or otherwise isolating and thats why Public Health england has been leading is so important because it means we are going to be able to double by this time next week a number of tests compared to the number that weve been doing this week and so i can say that today were announcing we will be rolling out staff testing across the nhs beginning next week starting with the Critical Care nurses, other staff in intensive care, emergency departments, ambulance services, gp and are protective volumes continue to increase we want to expand that to a wider range of essential Public Workers including our social Care Services as well as continuing with the patient testing. Thank you simon. Beth rigby. Hi, can you hear me . Just a couple of questions please. Mister gove, using a hot Prime Minister and Health Secretary shows the virus doesnt discriminate and unfortunately they only contract mild symptoms but you cant guarantee it will become more sick at the moment when the country need them to lead. For people watching this will be asking why the Prime Minister and Health Secretary and nowthe chief medical officer words better protected. Isnt this a bit careless and negligent and question if i may, the New London Hospital has 500intensive care beds by next week. How much of that capacity is there in london Critical Care beds today . How do you expect that to change and do you anticipate you will be overcapacity by next week and just on the testing and nhs staff, great news that youre going to roll out testing but how many nhs staff are currently unable to work because theyre either unwell or self isolating . Thank you beth. The fact that the virus is no respecter of individuals, whoever they are is one of the reasons why we do need to have social distancing measures so that we can reduce the rate of infection and reduce the pressure on the nhs area there are various estimates about the number of people in any country may become infected over time. The aim to as a Prime Minister himself has mentioned flatten the curve. Reduce the rate of reinfection in order to ensure the nhs can be protected. And i think that many people were affected by the fact of the Prime Minister support succumbing to the virus is how we all need to take the advice that the nhs has been giving us. Thank you, on the question of London Hospital beds, as of yesterday the most recent figures we had just under 3000 empty and available hospital beds across london and as you say, we are bringing on additional beds next week at the new nhs Nightingale Hospital that is being configured initially to be able to look after up to 500 patients but there is physical capacity to potentially take that two of the 4000 if it were required. So there is obviously an enormous effort going on not just across london across the midlands as well where we are seeing continued growth in cases and thats why as well as freeing up the 33,000 hospital beds across our current english nhs hospitals, we are also taking these unprecedented steps to build in a few days hospitals that would normally take years. Thank you very much and we turn out to Andrew Woodcock from the independent. Mister gove, there are people around the uk are reliant on Food Distribution through food banks and other charitable efforts. These charities are still working but any food banks closed, the donations are down. Many are advised to stay home, the independent is watching the help the hungry appeal throughout londonlines for those who need right across the country , the government says its supporting all sections through this crisis so this financial and Logistic Support for these charities and are any of those prepared to help the nhs. And for simon stevens, youve been head of the nhs since 2013, the overnight the increase in nurse Training Numbers during your tenure which has left the nhs in a position where this crisis with its Critical Care bed space is the worst in europe with people having twice as many icu bed and the uk having the lowest number of doctors across the early cds. The lesson from this kind of thing is that the nhs need all kinds and its going to be ready to deal with this surge in demand than it may incorporate no slack as you want. Andrew, thank you for the questions. On food and holding the vulnerable, but he say a few things, the first is i want to thank all those who work in Food Production and supermarket for rising to the challenge of making sure our shelves can be rebuilt and that the people who need it are able to get the food that theyneed. Of course , we need more than simply to have an effective production chain. We need to make sure those most in need, those who are self isolating get the food and the other support that they need to read thats why the nhs has identified up to 1. 5 Million People are shielded, been advised to self isolate for 12 weeks and its like governments working together are ensuring that there will be food distributed directly to those individuals with their Community Pharmacies all providing the prescriptions and medicine they need you there are people beyond that youre not self isolating for 12 weeks but who are vulnerable. People who in the past have used food banks, people who we need to support now and it is the case of volunteer networks that have been set up across the country are ensuring that we can match volunteers who are willing to go shopping and hand food to those Vulnerable People who are staying at home or who may not themselves have a social network to get the food that they need to read and of course the tremendous response to the Good Samaritan engine is if that man and that hancock announced was hundreds of ta is an amazing example of volunteerism in action and Simon Stephen<\/a> and deputy chief medical officer jenny harris area id like to update you all on the facts of the spread of covid19 and the steps that we are taking in the battle against the coronavirus. 130,777 people have now been tested for the virus. Of those, 14,543 have tested positive. Increase in the last day of 2885. That scientific analysis now is at the rate of infection has been doubling every 3 to 4 days. Of those who have contracted the virus , 759 have sadly died. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have passed away. These figures are a powerful reminder of the need for all of us to. We need to slow the spread of the virus and strengthen the nhss ability to protect us all. Social distancing measures have been put in place to restrict the spread of covid19. So fewer people should need hospital treatment at any one time. The measures that we put in place our scientific and medical advice and are designed to reduce the rate of infection. And as well as acting to slowthe spread of the virus, we are also acting to strengthen the nhs. 2x we are expanding the number of beds available, increasing the number of hospitals, also investing in lifesaving equipment for those with severe symptoms to get people the care they need and when they need it most. Id like to thank all those involved in this effort to reinforce the front line in the battle against the virus. The military personnel are helping to fit out the new hospital in east london and helping to distribute personal protective equipment. The amazing doctors, nurses and supporters in our nhs. Those in manufacturing risen to the challenge of producing new ventilators. On the hundreds of thousands who volunteer to help in innumerable ways. This is a United National<\/a> effort. The spirit of selflessness shown my soulmate is truly inspiring. This virus of course affects us all. As youll no doubt already aware Prime Minister<\/a> has coronavirus and is self isolating iphone in danbury. He began experiencing mild symptoms yesterday afternoon and was tested on the advice of englands chief medical officer , professor. The Prime Minister<\/a> is continuing to lead the governments response to coronavirus chairing meetings and mitigating with key members of his team through videoconferences. An earlier today the Prime Minister<\/a> led the effort in launching our latest front in the fight against 19. The today i can announce the Prime Minister<\/a> had brought together businesses, Research Institutes<\/a> and universities in a new alliance to Testing Capacity<\/a> for frontline workers. Increasing our Testing Capacity<\/a> is absolutely crucial in our response to an hour fight against coronavirus. This is a particular priority for those who worked in the healthcare sector and are working so hard to keep us all safe. This will be testing whether people currently have the disease so that our health and social care workers and have security in the knowledge that they are safe to return to work if their test is negative. These tests will be trials for people on the front line starting immediately with hundreds to take place by the end of the weekend , dramatically scaling up next week. And of course protecting our frontline workers is atthe forefront of everyones mind at the moment. Millions of people made a fantastic tribute to the heroes and heroines ofthe nhs when they stepped outside their front doors and clapped. And alongside those in health and social care i want to thank those who work in preproduction and retail, those who work for the royal mail and public transport. Our teachers and our social workers. They all deserve our gratitude and having talked to business, Civil Servants<\/a> and volunteers and ministers in the administration in scotland wales and Northern Ireland<\/a> i want to report my admiration for the National Solidarity<\/a> in the fight against this disease. All of us can support our nhs by continuing to follow the quarantine. Stay at home, protect our nhs andsave lives. I will now turn to the chief executive of the nhs simon stevens. Thank you michael today over 6200 confirmed positive coronavirus patients are in hospital across england. And we know that number is only bound to rise over the coming days. Thats why as michael says it is so important that everybody follows the medical advice to stay at home and in so doing save lives but it is also why the nhs is making an extraordinary effort across this country to ensure that we have care for those patients who need looking after from coronavirus. Thats why nhs staff are pulling out all the stops in an unprecedented response to this Global Health<\/a> emergency. Today across england we have reconfigured Hospital Services<\/a> so that 33,000 hospital beds are available to treat further coronavirus patients. Its also why we are taking the extraordinary action to build new hospitals in very short order, starting with the nhs Nightingale Hospital<\/a> in east london. And today because this is a problem of course not just confined to london across the whole country, i have given the goahead to the building of two further of the nhs in the hospital beginning at the National Exhibition<\/a> center and the Manchester Central<\/a> Convention Center<\/a> with further such hospitals to follow. In doing that i want to pay tribute to the contributions not just of nhs staff but the support we are getting from volunteers from the armed forces, from social care, from all of our partners. It is remarkable i think that in just the last two weeks, weve seen 18,000 doctors and nurses returned to practice on the General Medical Council<\/a> and Nursing Medical Council<\/a> registers answering the call to arms. And it was there for very gratifying for our staff across the nhs to see this remarkable outpouring in the class or care last night. The many nurses coming home from a day at hospital for other staff returning to start again for the night shift, it would have meant an enormous amount to know the whole country is behind. But the best way we can show that support of course is actually by doing what will take to reduce the rate of infection because even simple actions following this advice will save lives. Thank you very much simon. I will turn to the media to take questions and i think our first question was for vicki young of the bbc. Vicki. The Prime Minister<\/a> has coronavirus, the Health Officer<\/a> as well and the chief medical officer is in isolation. People will be looking at this and wondering whether you havent been taking your own advice or you may be acting too slowly when it comes to stopping the spread of coronavirus. Another question to simon stevens, we have countless patients in touch with the bbc very worried about the cancellation of the treatment or operations, many worried for their own lives maybe being put at risk. And the questions for professor herron, can you be more precise about the this outbreak area. Thank you vicki, ill turn to simon jenny in a second. I think the fact that both the Prime Minister<\/a> and the Health Secretary<\/a> have contracted the virus is a reminder that the virus does not discriminate. We are all at risk and that is why it is so important we practice social distancing measures. Those are in place in government, ministers are working remotely from home using videoconferencing in order to make sure we can follow the advice that all of us should be following in order to helpprotect the nhs. On the question of cancer care, we do want essential and urgent counsel treatment to continue but that counsel specialists should have the opportunity with their patients to decide whether it is more risky for somebody to embark on treatment at this particular time given that you are more vulnerable to infection if you begin a course of treatment at chemo or become immunocompromised. So those clinical decisions will need to be taken. Weve also agreed and landmark deal for all the independent hospitals across the country which has given us the ability to look after patients away from the busy hospitals that are treating coronavirus. And in london for example, the Royal Marsden<\/a> is there for broadbased cancer care across the capital so that even if patients are being looked after their local hospital they will begetting the care they need. But these are very difficult and sensitive judgments that need to be made for the full involvement of cancer clinicians as well as patients. Im going to be a little bit repetitive but the same question i think was asked yesterday from adifferent media colleague. It would be shocking to predict precisely when we expect it to be, not least because we have put in social distancing interventions and we are looking to see how well they work. As i said yesterday this is an indication that the public are really now feeding advice and we thank them for that. Its really important that they continue to do that. We do not expect to see a significant change in this numbers in two or three weeks so we need people to stick with us and stick tothose social distancing interventions or that. We are monitoring that daytoday and when we got from production we will be happy to sharethat with you. On that note carl gibbons of itv. Thank you mister gove. Good news weve heard the Prime Minister<\/a> is experiencing mild symptoms but id like to what is the plan should he not continue his work. And also, given that theyre developing a minute to the number of care, what is the safety of testing people like yourself or the people of government are feeling the effects . Will call it only mild symptoms, he took part in, he chaired a Video Conference<\/a> earlier today and he was able to marshal the resources of the nhs and Government Department<\/a> and indeed the private sector in order to bring forward the Testing Initiative<\/a> we announced today but ill hand it over to jenny to say a little bit more about the testing protocols by the way in which people are tested in a little bit. Then ill say a little bit more about our ambitions to support frontline nhs staff with the extension of testing so jenny first. As ive stated previously the primary objective of all our testing is to ensure that we manage critical cases safely. So those patients are admitted to intensive care with pneumonia, they are the ones we are focusing on again, for other admissions in the hospital for those conditions, we test routinely in some other very specific areas so care homes where we know there are critical patients at high risk and where there is a higher risk to the spread. The basis of all of this is at first you must have clinical symptoms, the default position with that is you would not be tested and then the only other criteria would be the centrality of your role in covid19 response and in this pacific case im sure your viewers will understandthe Prime Minister<\/a> plays acritical role in that and thats the basis for the answer. Thank you jenny. From an nhs perspective we think it is urgently important we are able to test frontline staff are sick or otherwise isolating and thats why Public Health<\/a> england has been leading is so important because it means we are going to be able to double by this time next week a number of tests compared to the number that weve been doing this week and so i can say that today were announcing we will be rolling out staff testing across the nhs beginning next week starting with the Critical Care<\/a> nurses, other staff in intensive care, emergency departments, ambulance services, gp and are protective volumes continue to increase we want to expand that to a wider range of essential Public Workers<\/a> including our social Care Services<\/a> as well as continuing with the patient testing. Thank you simon. Beth rigby. Hi, can you hear me . Just a couple of questions please. Mister gove, using a hot Prime Minister<\/a> and Health Secretary<\/a> shows the virus doesnt discriminate and unfortunately they only contract mild symptoms but you cant guarantee it will become more sick at the moment when the country need them to lead. For people watching this will be asking why the Prime Minister<\/a> and Health Secretary<\/a> and nowthe chief medical officer words better protected. Isnt this a bit careless and negligent and question if i may, the New London Hospital<\/a> has 500intensive care beds by next week. How much of that capacity is there in london Critical Care<\/a> beds today . How do you expect that to change and do you anticipate you will be overcapacity by next week and just on the testing and nhs staff, great news that youre going to roll out testing but how many nhs staff are currently unable to work because theyre either unwell or self isolating . Thank you beth. The fact that the virus is no respecter of individuals, whoever they are is one of the reasons why we do need to have social distancing measures so that we can reduce the rate of infection and reduce the pressure on the nhs area there are various estimates about the number of people in any country may become infected over time. The aim to as a Prime Minister<\/a> himself has mentioned flatten the curve. Reduce the rate of reinfection in order to ensure the nhs can be protected. And i think that many people were affected by the fact of the Prime Minister<\/a> support succumbing to the virus is how we all need to take the advice that the nhs has been giving us. Thank you, on the question of London Hospital<\/a> beds, as of yesterday the most recent figures we had just under 3000 empty and available hospital beds across london and as you say, we are bringing on additional beds next week at the new nhs Nightingale Hospital<\/a> that is being configured initially to be able to look after up to 500 patients but there is physical capacity to potentially take that two of the 4000 if it were required. So there is obviously an enormous effort going on not just across london across the midlands as well where we are seeing continued growth in cases and thats why as well as freeing up the 33,000 hospital beds across our current english nhs hospitals, we are also taking these unprecedented steps to build in a few days hospitals that would normally take years. Thank you very much and we turn out to Andrew Woodcock<\/a> from the independent. Mister gove, there are people around the uk are reliant on Food Distribution<\/a> through food banks and other charitable efforts. These charities are still working but any food banks closed, the donations are down. Many are advised to stay home, the independent is watching the help the hungry appeal throughout londonlines for those who need right across the country , the government says its supporting all sections through this crisis so this financial and Logistic Support<\/a> for these charities and are any of those prepared to help the nhs. And for simon stevens, youve been head of the nhs since 2013, the overnight the increase in nurse Training Numbers<\/a> during your tenure which has left the nhs in a position where this crisis with its Critical Care<\/a> bed space is the worst in europe with people having twice as many icu bed and the uk having the lowest number of doctors across the early cds. The lesson from this kind of thing is that the nhs need all kinds and its going to be ready to deal with this surge in demand than it may incorporate no slack as you want. Andrew, thank you for the questions. On food and holding the vulnerable, but he say a few things, the first is i want to thank all those who work in Food Production<\/a> and supermarket for rising to the challenge of making sure our shelves can be rebuilt and that the people who need it are able to get the food that theyneed. Of course , we need more than simply to have an effective production chain. We need to make sure those most in need, those who are self isolating get the food and the other support that they need to read thats why the nhs has identified up to 1. 5 Million People<\/a> are shielded, been advised to self isolate for 12 weeks and its like governments working together are ensuring that there will be food distributed directly to those individuals with their Community Pharmacies<\/a> all providing the prescriptions and medicine they need you there are people beyond that youre not self isolating for 12 weeks but who are vulnerable. People who in the past have used food banks, people who we need to support now and it is the case of volunteer networks that have been set up across the country are ensuring that we can match volunteers who are willing to go shopping and hand food to those Vulnerable People<\/a> who are staying at home or who may not themselves have a social network to get the food that they need to read and of course the tremendous response to the Good Samaritan<\/a> engine is if that man and that hancock announced was hundreds of ta is an amazing example of volunteerism in action and National Solidarity<\/a> and we will be building everything we can just put them and my colleague Oliver Dowden<\/a> at cultural media and sport is looking at a specific fund in order to support charities in the work that they do. And we will be seeing more about this in the days to come. I also want to thank those people in the hospitality and sector who have stepped up and who are doing everything they can to support the vulnerable. John vincent leon is making sure that is Stores Remain<\/a> open as takeaways in order to support the nhs. Its that sort of collaboration between citizens, the voluntary sector, back into government and enlightened Business People<\/a> that i think will help us defeat this virus and im grateful to you for the opportunity to thank all those making a contribution. Im going to handed over to john. So the nhs does the more staff and it does need more hospital beds and weve been saying that for some time and whats going to be happening over the next five and 10 years. But the reality is that what ive described is that over the last several weeks we have freed up the equivalent of 50 hospitals across england ready and waiting for coronavirus patients and under normal circumstances you would not keep 50 hospitals fully staffed with nurses and doctors, not actually looking after patients rent which is why no Health Service<\/a> in the world anywhere in europe, anywhere internationally would is going to be able to withstand a coronavirus epidemic unless the sort of measures the public are also involved with our also put into place and thats why its so important that the public support work of our very pressurized frontline nurses, doctors across the nhs by staying at home and in sodoing save lives. And we will turn to tim rossfrom england. Iq. Michael gove, we were told before the decision was making monday to switch the rules on peoples movements that decision would be based on the data around public activity and transport yet by asking every day this week government has not so far provided any data to justify the most sweeping restrictions on the population, the country has ever seen. Are you prepared not to publish that data and you can say why it hasnt been published so far. To Prime Minister<\/a> stevens can you guarantee that the nhs is ready for whats about to come and if not, what is the one thing you still need from the government to prepare yourself. Thank you can. On the data, i had every stage we have followed the scientific and medical advice that weve been given and we believe weve taken the right steps at the right time. The evidence shows that since the measures that we took on monday, the British Public<\/a> has responded in an fantastic way and weve seen a dramatic decline in the use of public transport allowing public transport to the preserve for key workers, we seen a decline in football and people are. The overwhelming majority of the british people are following the strong advice they have been given in order to protect our nhs and we will share that data with you. One of the features of the briefing was the set of numbers that i and simon shared with you and of course we will share because share data so that people can see we are doing everything we can but ill head over to simon, personable to answer your question. On the additional help and support that we cangive the nhs. I believe that everybody across the nhs is doing everything that can possibly be done to ensure that we are able to look after patients who need our care during this coronavirus pandemic. One of the points that i think has been particularly remarkable over the last several weeks is the way not only the nhs but all Public Services<\/a> have come together as true for local councils, care homes, the voluntary sector across government, we have had the support of the ministry of defense. We had the support of other parts of government bring us prepared in different communities. Because as michael said a moment ago, we earlier this week wrote to up to 1 and a half Million People<\/a> asking them to take special care given their Background Health<\/a> conditions and for them to be able to stay at home and that very selfcontained way, requires people who can help with shopping, who can help collect medicines from the pharmacy. Thats an enormous team effort the nhs by itself cant do and we are getting that support writ. Id like to tell the committee to say a littlebit about data, social distancing measures and the steps that weve taken. So i think as we say, weve been trying to be transparent with this very confident that the government has acted on the science. It is an unprecedented event as i think we are all recognizing and there is some degree of uncertainty on some of the data. As you acquire the data and the steps go into place your data changes so the earlier conversation about what will that be pens how successful we are so theres a bit of a moving agenda in some of the they got to be absolutely clear we have looked at the modeling, we have taken those interventions in order with will produce the biggest impact and we have steadily implemented those area and the lessons of course in relation to social distancing and particularly the shielding of very clinically Vulnerable People<\/a> is an important step to be kind appropriately, not just because of the risks with with the coronavirus but because they have multiple problems and they need a lot of social support so in this country have funded really carefully to ensure that those support systems are around to maintain isolation. Getting enough for now the hugo guy from the high newspaper. Gove it sounds like you and your cabinet colleagues are not owing to the automatically tested or coronavirus despite the fact that Prime Minister<\/a> and Health Secretary<\/a> have second tested positive. Can you confirm that case that there are no plans to test you and i would ask why and i think its probably a question for doctor harry, weve heard a lot about prospects of getting kids that can test for whether or not someone has ever had coronavirus. Were told 3 and a half million of those are on order. Can you clarify have those kits already been manufactured and if so, by whom have they been manufactured and what company is producing those . Thank you hugo. People are tested if they are symptomatic and those members , theres a central effort in helping to defeat the virus and we do ensure citizens are properly tested but it demonstrates there are three of us who have not yet demonstrated any symptoms it is important in order as we mentioned earlier to try to assure that we slow the spread of the virus that everyone whenever possible practices the appropriate social distancing disciplines as we announced earlier. I will handed over to jenny and also simon just for a final word as well. To the point you just made as i said earlier we have very clear criteria. We would not, were we in the early phase of the outbreak we would have strong content mechanisms and that is not appropriate at this point in the epidemicbut we will test appropriately for clinical management. The appropriate thing to do if you have symptoms is to self isolate and remove yourself from the environment so you cant potentially transmit disease to anyone else and that applies as much to cabinet members as it does to myself or any of the population. The other factor would be your role in respect to covid19 and simon has highlighted the importance of testing our workforce and other systems as well who are keeping the response going and in relation to the 3. 5 million testing kits, as opposed to having outcasts, they are coming from a variety of different manufacturers and i think as professor which he has said before it is really critical that we test the sensitivity and specificity of the tests so how we can pick up the disease and how sure we are that its a true positive test. In each of the different fights of those testing kits will be evaluated. And i believe the last word for simon. I think its simply to say that unfortunately pressure on the nhs is going to intensify over the coming weeks. Theres no doubt about that before things hopefully begin to improve. And so this is going to be a time when a lot of our frontline staff are going to be in a highly stressful and pressurized circumstances area i think what they would want me to say to the rest of the country is know this, that everybody is pulling out all of the stops to do the right thing. And if you can help to, by following the measures that the are being set out, staying at home we will save lives. Thank you all very much. What it anytime at cspan. Org coronavirus from daily briefings by the president and White House Task<\/a> force to update from governors of the hardest hit states, its all there. Use the charts and maps to track the viruses global spread and confirm cases in the us county by county. Our coronavirus webpage is our fast and easy way to watch unfiltered coverage of this pandemic area. Television has changed since cspan. Org politico began our Mission Continues<\/a> to provide an unfiltered view of government. Already this year we brought you primary election coverage , the president ial impeachment process and now the federal response to the coronavirus. Watch all of Public Affairs<\/a> programming on television, online or listen on our free radio. Any part of the National Conversation<\/a> through daily washington journal programs or through our social media feed. Cspan, created by private industry americas Cable Television<\/a> company. As a Public Service<\/a> brought to you today by your television provider. Earlier today new York Governor Andrew Cuomo<\/a> held a News Conference<\/a> at a temporary hospital site in new york city. 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