As part of the Coronavirus daily briefing (12th October 2020), Prof Stephen Powis, NHS England has asked NHS Nightingale hospitals in the North to prepare.
Professor Powis said the number of cases has increased recently, but not at the rate in March when cases were doubling.
As cases rise, he has announced Nightingale hospitals in parts of the North of England; Sunderland, Manchester and Harrogate are being asked to mobilise in the coming weeks.
They have been asked to go to a higher state of readiness and be ready to accept patients with COVID-19, or those recovering from the virus.
It was also confirmed there will be regular testing for NHS staff in high-risk areas “even when they don’t have symptoms”.
