We expect this to get worse over the next couple of weeks,” chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance announced in today’s press conference led by Dominic Raab.
Giving his instant reaction, Doctors‘ Association chair Dr Rinesh Parmar explained that things will begin to look up when doctors hear about the R number (reproductive number) from Sir Patrick Vallance.
If Sir Patrick announces the R number has dropped below one, it would mean “we are not transmitting the infection further and would signal the start of coming to some sort of normality and seeing the end of the pandemic.”
Meanwhile concerns remain for doctors who do not have access to adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) that meet the standards set out by the World Health Organisation, said Dr Rinesh Parmar. “That’s a real problem we’re still seeing on the frontline day in, day out.”
Dr Parmar called it “disappointing” that a week down the line from when Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock gave a promise to the NHS staff that they would fix the distribution issues, “they haven’t really kept up with their bargain.”
“The need to put the correct emphasis on getting the PPE to the frontline of the NHS,” he said.
