Government calls for 250,000 volunteers to help NHS support vulnerable people during coronavirus pa

[appalachiablue]

Source: Evening Standard

The Government is launching a new scheme to recruit 250,000 volunteers who can help the NHS support vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic.

Announcing the push for volunteers at the daily Covid-19 press conference on Tuesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new scheme would help support the NHS and local services.

He said: ​"We’re seeking a quarter of a million volunteers to help the NHS for shopping, the delivery of medicines and supporting those who are shielded to protect their own health.

"The NHS volunteer responders is a new scheme set up so that people can come and help and to make sure that the NHS and local services that are needed get all the support that they can." Mr Hancock also announced that more than 35,000 extra NHS staff would be joining the fight against the virus.



Read more: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/nhs-volunteers-support-vulnerable-people-coronavirus-a4396476.html

[LittleGirl]

1. Volunteers?

Are they nuts? Nobody volunteers to possibly die.
Pay those heroes!

[appalachiablue]

3. Agree, this is bizarre even given the current BoJo govt. One nurse

I read about said she'd given the NHS decades of service and wasn't willing to be dragged into more.

[OldBaldy1701E]

8. Thank You

I read this thing and was going to say something long those lines, so thank you for getting it in here first. 'Volunteer'... I have a better idea, Mr Secretary... how about you vultures actually DO something useful and helpful... oh wait, I forgot who I was talking to...

[iluvtennis]

2. Will they be providing the volunteers with protective equipment and providing them periodic

testing? Also, they need to be paid. Use some of the $8.6 billion that congress approved a few weeks ago.

[stillcool]

4. it's the U.K.

don't know if they have our issues.

[appalachiablue]

5. Yes, doubtful that without these many 'volunteers' are recruited.

[Laelth]

7. That's a shockingly scurvy thing for the UK to do.

They should pay those people.

-Laelth

[Lenomsky]

9. Altruism at work ,,,

By Wednesday morning, 170,000 had signed up to Good Sam, the group coordinating the response.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52029877