Coronavirus in West Midlands: Latest updates

Summary

NEC 'ready and willing' to be field hospital
Cancer treatments suspended over virus 'pressures'
Coronavirus: Walsall couple live stream wedding on Facebook
Barbecues and crisps - the lockdown rule-breakers
Council struggling with non-urgent calls
Live updates from Wednesday 25 March

Live Reporting

Pop-up shop opens for hospital staffpublished at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
A pop-up shop has opened for staff working at a hospital in Wolverhampton to access basic food supplies.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross Hospital in the city, has launched the shop in its Wolverhampton Medical Institute (WMI).
The trust said it will help staff buy essentials after their long shifts:
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Motor company closing for first time since warpublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
For the first time since the Second World War, Malvern's famous Morgan Motor Company is closing its factory.
The company said it doesn’t expect to reopen until 20 April at the earliest.
Image source, Morgan Motor Company
Morgan said vouchers for tours and driving experiences will now be redeemable until the end of next year.
Around the web: Outrage as shop doors remain openpublished at 11:36 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
Coventry Live
Here are three of the stories from the Coventry Telegraph website today.
- Outrage as shop's doors remain open, external
- Hospital in need of goggles and masks for nurses, external
- Warning from son of former Sky Blue star, external
Hotel to accommodate NHS staffpublished at 10:59 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
The Park House hotel in Shifnal has been chosen as a base for NHS staff and other key workers in need of overnight accommodation.
It said it was running on minimum staff and public areas, like its bar and restaurant, would be closed.
Image source, Park House Hotel
The hotel also said it would be offering a “limited room service menu with limited contact.”
People call 999 to ask if they can go outsidepublished at 10:38 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
People are reminded that 999 is for emergencies only - not to ask if they can go outside.
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Call for ‘new Land Army’ to replace farm workerspublished at 10:19 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
Farmers are facing a shortage of agricultural workers as travel restrictions and illness hit the countryside.
The Shropshire branch of the Country Landowners Association is calling for a "new land army" to help farmers feed the country.
The CLA estimates travel restrictions and illness threaten a shortage of up to 80,000 agricultural workers.
And it said they are urgently needed because some vegetable crops will need harvesting soon.
More than 1,000 apply to work for ambulance servicepublished at 09:53 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
More than 1,000 people applied to work in West Midlands Ambulance Service control rooms in just 72 hours.
The service is also recruiting about 200 third-year paramedic students, who are close to completing their training at universities around the region.
Image source, WMAS
The ambulance service has also brought in a further 130 third-year students, to work as assistants, restocking and preparing ambulances.
It said the moves had allowed it to double it’s capacity.
Quote Message
We are receiving huge support from our university students who are desperate to do their part to help the nation at this time.”
Nathan Hudson, WMAS
Hospital makes urgent appeal for catering staffpublished at 09:35 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
Oswestry’s Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt hospital is making an urgent appeal for catering staff, because a dozen have had to go into self-isolation.
The quality of the food at the specialist orthopaedic hospital has been rated the best in the country in the Care Quality Commission’s Adult Inpatient Survey for 13 out of the last 14 years.
Image source, RJAH
The shifts are between 06:00 and 19:00, seven days a week.
Council struggling with non-urgent callspublished at 09:22 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
Cheshire East Council Is struggling to deal with the number of non-urgent enquiries.
It says its priority is to safeguard the most vulnerable, and keep frontline services going.
The authority said many general questions can be answered on its website., external
RSC puts plays onlinepublished at 08:44 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
The Royal Shakespeare Company has made 17 productions available to watch online, external.
They include Richard II with David Tennant, Hamlet and Othello.
Image source, RSC
Disruption to rail servicespublished at 08:33 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
The West Midlands Network is advising of more restrictions on the rail network.
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Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 08:22 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2020
Andy Giddings
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Wednesday.
We'll be bringing you all the latest on coronavirus in the West Midlands.
We love to hear from you, so share your news, thoughts and photos with us via email,Twitter , externalor Facebook., external