At today’s Covid-19 government press briefing the Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We have changed the digital nature of the NHS forever.”
Mr Hancock added that he thought “many people who have used online digital GP consultations or online outpatient visits will never go back.”
He added: “Where there have been advances, we must not lose them.”
Mr Hancock said that he wants to ensure that the NHS will be in a stronger position after the crisis.
The switch to digital services has clearly been a feature of the crisis, many of these changes are expected to become permanent.
At today’s press briefing Mr Hancock emphasised, as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson did this morning, that the lockdown will not be ending imminently.
Mr Hancock said that the UK has now carried out 719,910 tests, 37,024 up from yesterday. He said that the UK has now carried out more tests than South Korea and approaching the number in Germany.
Of the tests carried out, 37,024 have tested positive, and there are 15,051 in hospital, which is less than yesterday.
There were 360 reported deaths yesterday. Although reported deaths tend to be much lower, it may be worth noting that this was the lowest daily reported death number since March 30th.
