CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY : EXHIBITION VENUES CONVERTED IN TEMPORARY HOSPITALS
The global pandemic due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) has forced the authorities to make a further effort to tackle the health emergency. The Ministry of Defense, together with the NHS, are constantly working to convert facilities into temporary hospitals for the exclusive treatment of patients affected by coronavirus.
Our industry is playing an important role in these crucial times: Excel London, Birmingham’s NEC, Manchester Central Convention centre, Scottish Event Campus are four of the major UK exhibition venues that will provide beds, ventilators and oxygen for the patients.
ExCeL London / NHS Nigthingale Hospital London Manchester Central Convention Centre
NEC Birmingham Scottish Event Campus
The Army, military medics and NHS staff are working day and night to be operational as soon as possible. They are not alone during this challenging period because they can rely on the support of the exhibition centre teams that are giving assistance in adapting their structures appropriately. Jeremy Sees, CEO Excel London, confirms his collaboration: “We are proud to be able to accommodate the increasing demand for hospital bed and will work with the NHS to facilitate this request”.
Let’s see the impact of these extraordinary actions in terms of numbers!
Today the NHS system can guarantee 33000 beds available for people affected by Covid-19, but this capacity is expected to increase as other sites will be transformed into temporary hospitals. The Nightingale NHS hospital at Excel London will be opened by April 4 and assure a capacity of 4000 beds. Coronavirus field hospitals at NEC in Birmingham and Manchester Central Convention Centre will be ready in mid-April with a capacity of 5000 and 1000 beds. Scottish Event Campus will have too 1000 beds.
Workers preparing the temporary structure The partition walls @ ExCeL / Nigthingale Hospital
One of the most surprising aspect is that over 12000 retired medics are asking to rejoin the NHS in order to be helpful during one of the largest medical emergency of the country.
They will cooperate with an increasing number of medical students and volunteers that will help deliver medicine, give assistance to the patients and make phone calls to check on people isolating at home.
Exhibition industry is playing his part but all of us must impress in our mind the words of Simon Stevens, British health Manager: “Every single person in this country can make a difference by following the medical advice to the letter – stay home, wash your hands – which will help stop the virus letting rip and will therefore save lives”.
In conclusion, we are sure these efforts are seriously necessary to tackle this struggle and we hope to be able to attend again exclusive events in these exhibition centers in the next months.
Sources: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11275656/inside-nhs-nightingale-coronavirus-london-excel/ https://www.expressandstar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2020/03/27/birminghams-nec-to-become-temporary-field-hospital-for-coronavirus-patients/
