Hancock: More protective kit for NHS staff 'on the road'published at 20:13 Greenwich Mean Time 19 March 2020
BBC Question Time
BBC's Question Time has kicked off in Weston Super-Mare with a question to the panel on vital equipment for NHS staff in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock praises workers in the health service, saying they will be "called on for a heroic effort" in the coming weeks.
He seeks to reassure them more kit is on the way, saying over the last 24 hours, 2.6 million masks have been shipped to hospitals, along with 10,000 bottles of hand sanitiser, and there is a "growing effort to get that equipment to the front line".
Mr Hancock adds that overnight, 150 hospitals will get their next packs of protective equipment, with "lorries on the road right now", and the next load will be reaching all hospitals by the end of the weekend.
The health secretary also says a call-out at the weekend for British businesses to make ventilators saw 1,400 companies come forward.
He adds: "This is going to be an national effort and we are going to have to turn the resources of the country to stop the spread of the virus and boost NHS resources."