The call for NHS volunteers to help fight coronavirus in the UK has seen 170,000 sign up in less than 16 hours.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said volunteers would help boost the government's ability to protect those most vulnerable to Covid-19 and provide vital support for medics.
Announcing the plans to set up an army of volunteers, he earlier said: "We are seeking a quarter of a million volunteers, people in good health, to help the NHS, for shopping, for delivery of medicines and to support those who are shielded to protect their own health."
Launching the appeal for help, Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and NHS Director of Primary Care, said: “Coronavirus is the biggest challenge we have ever faced, which is why we’re rallying the troops and telling the public: your NHS needs you.
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"Across the country people are playing their part in the fight against the virus by staying home for the next 12 weeks, to protect themselves, others and the NHS.
"But many of those shielding will need our support to do that, and by signing up to be an NHS Volunteer Responder, people who are well can do their bit too."
“This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments where a single action from one person can be the difference between life and death for another, and simple acts of kindness are going to make all the difference in keeping some of the most vulnerable people well and out of hospital.
“NHS staff are pulling out all the stops to ensure those who need care receive it, and creating a bank of helpers that they can call upon to support their most vulnerable patients through this difficult time is going to be invaluable, so I would urge anyone who can to sign up as an NHS Volunteer Responder today.”
Signing up is easy, and all you need to do is visit goodsamapp.org/NHS.
Once you have registered you can be called on to take on one of the tasks.
The NHS has teamed up with the RVS and the GoodSAM app – a digital tool to help people offer their services to people in need – to launch the appeal, which was launched on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Hancock also announced a new hospital will be opened at the ExCeL Centre in East London.
It will be named the Nightingale Hospital and is set to take its first patients next week.
The temporary hospital will have two wards for 2,000 people and medics will be assisted by the military, the Health Secretary stated.
Mr Hancock said: "We will, next week, open a new hospital - a temporary hospital - the NHS Nightingale Hospital at the Excel centre in London.
"The NHS Nightingale Hospital will comprise two wards, each of 2,000 people.
"With the help of the military and with NHS clinicians we will make sure that we have the capacity that we need so that everyone can get the support that they need."
Mr Hancock said a call for people to return to the NHS has been “incredibly successful”.
