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Coronavirus: 4,500 retired doctors and nurses have signed up to return to the NHS to battle pandemic

UK's Health Secretary Matt Hancock thanked them for their "brilliant support" in becoming part of the "national effort tackling coronavirus"
PUBLISHED MAR 26, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

More than 4,500 retired doctors and nurses have signed up to return to the NHS in a bid to assist those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, according to UK's Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Hancock tweeted a video thanking the close to 4,000 nurses and 500 doctors who have returned to the force, but added the NHS needs the help of "many more" health professionals during this "unprecedented crisis."

"With coronavirus growing, on Friday we put out the call asking recently retired doctors, nurses, other health professionals, to come back to the NHS to help in this unprecedented crisis," he explained.

NHS staff prepare to swab a member of the public at a drive-through Coronavirus testing site on March 12, 2020, in Wolverhampton, England (Getty Images)

"I'm delighted that in the first 48 hours, 4,000 nurses and 500 doctors have already signed up. But we need many more," Hancock continued. "It's easy to do, and we will make sure that your service is put to best effect. The whole country needs the NHS right now, and if you're a retired doctor or a retired nurse, then your NHS needs you."

The health secretary added that thousands who had already signed up displayed "brilliant support" in becoming part of the "national effort tackling coronavirus." 

Having said that, NHS workers have been widely applauded for their tireless work on the frontline of the deadly outbreak.

The UK government is asking people to stay at home in order to save the lives of the elderly and vulnerable and also to "protect the NHS" as part of their #StayHomeSaveLives campaign.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged people to practice social distancing while more vulnerable individuals must socially isolate themselves.

"I say to the people who do go against the advice that we're getting — the very clear advice that we're getting — from our medical and scientific experts, you're not only putting your own life, the lives of your family at risk, you're endangering the community and you're making it more difficult for us to get on and protect the NHS and save lives," Johnson said in one of his daily coronavirus briefings. 

"And if people comply, as I say, then we will not only save lives, thousands of lives, but we'll come out of this thing all the faster," he added.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty and Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance hold a news conference addressing the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak on March 12, 2020, in London, England (Getty Images)

This comes after Prince Charles tested positive for the virus and frontline workers at the NHS, who are battling the novel coronavirus each day, were reportedly furious that he received the test despite exhibiting only mild symptoms.

The Prince of Wales was tested positive for the virus on March 25 and is reportedly in self-isolation. A statement from the royal establishment stated that he has "mild symptoms that are not expected to become more serious."
 
Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, were both given the test by NHS Aberdeenshire "where they met the criteria required for testing", the Clarence House announced.

Although there were some who sent well wishes to Charles after his diagnosis, there were many, particularly at the NHS, who were irked by the news considering that frontline workers, who deal with infected patients on a regular basis, were not being tested for the virus.

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