The Nightingale hospitals are to remain on standby amid fears of a renewed coronavirus outbreak over winter, Downing Street has said.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the hospitals remained an “important surge capacity” after the chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, warned on Wednesday of a possible second wave of the virus.
“We may still need Nightingale hospitals for the months ahead. We will maintain that extra capacity until such time as there is more certainty,” the spokesman added.
“We have always viewed the Nightingale hospitals as providing an important surge capacity. They are not required at the moment but they are still there and available to treat patients should that be required. We view it as an important capacity to have.”
The hospitals – which were put up rapidly in case the NHS was overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases – were mothballed, with only those in London and Manchester ever being required to treat patients.
