The British government is asking tens of thousands of retired doctors and nurses to return to work and treat patients during the coronavirus outbreak.
Retired firefighters and police officers under the age of 70 are also receiving pleas to come back to work. The National Health Service has put out the largest call to action, however, asking 65,000 former employees to help patients suffering from the pandemic, according to Sky News.
“As the health service gears up to deal with the greatest global health threat in its history, my message to former colleagues is, ‘Your NHS Needs You,'” Ruth May, the national director for NHS, said. “Our wonderful nurses in every corner of the country are preparing to change the way we work so that we can provide the right care for the rising numbers of people who will need it.”
“But we can’t do it alone, so I am urging all recent former nurses to lend us your expertise and experience during this pandemic because I have no doubt that you can help to save lives,” May continued. “And I’m grateful for senior students providing expert care in this time with their NHS colleagues.”
The United Kingdom has over 4,000 confirmed cases of the virus, 177 deaths, and 65 recoveries, according to Johns Hopkins University. Officials reported Thursday that the number of confirmed cases had risen by 643 in a 24-hour period.
