Coronavirus: UK hospital built in two weeks opens its doors - BBC News

The first of the government's emergency field hospitals to treat coronavirus patients has opened in east London's ExCel centre.

The temporary NHS Nightingale Hospital is able to hold as many as 4,000 patients and will be staffed by NHS medics with help from the military.

Prince Charles paid tribute to staff as he opened the hospital via video link.

Similar hospitals are planned across the UK, including in Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Harrogate and Bristol.

The ExCel exhibition space - usually used for large events such as Crufts and Comic Con - was transformed into a hospital in just nine days.

It is the first of several Nightingale Hospitals planned in England, with the latest announcement that two will be built at the University of the West of England in Bristol and the Harrogate Convention Centre.

Others are due to open at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre and Manchester's Central Complex.

[Rascallucci]

What is Matt Hancock doing there? I thought he tested positive? Not even wearing a mask? This is a train wreck.

[OldLuckyJim]

"UK hospital built in two weeks opens its doors" they didn't _build_ a hospital, they converted a conference centre into a temporary one with limited functionality.

[CRAFTYB]

Great job! But they need to work on their social distancing.

[basque]

What is going on in the UK???😞
Matt Hancock was tested positive on 27th, only 6 days ago. He's going round doing PR in public as Health Secretary. And still to this day NOBODY is wearing masks.
What's happened? Is Stupid one of the symptoms?

[missanthropocene]

Is it necessary for all of them to be there? Without masks? Really?

[shaazfm]

Are they not wearing a mask because it looks bad? This is not the time to be taking risks.

[michaelfrancis]

The place wasn't built in two weeks, it was already there.

[frankjaffray]

For Godsake stay away from Handcock. His only been in isolation for 6 days. His a walking contamination

[likklej]

Get it open cut all this ceremonial and back patting rubbish.

[nickfriend]

....I'm a Brit living in Taiwan past 20 years. Looking at above video, absolute craziness, no one wearing a mask! Here in Taiwan, everyone everywhere, wearing a mask, even the president wears when in public, on TV etc. Britain, so, so careless.

[eileenknowles]

HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO SAYS PRAY YOU PRINCE CHARLES

[philipjones]

Should be Matt Hancock be opening this hospital? He's only done six when he's told everyone seven!

[DH-uqzw]

It wasn’t “built” the building was already there!

[rauspy]

Why aren’t they wearing masks . This is no time to be taking risks 😔

[DrFish]

this wasn't built but was converted to a hospital.

[endangereddangerous]

Shame they cant put the same time scale in to everything else like HS2. Instead it cost 4 billion and still discussions about where its gonna go.

[danaashraf]

It’s great that none of them are wearing masks, gloves or any protective equipment, and standing not even far apart from each other, who knows how many of them have the virus.

[paulhorvath]

it was never used -- more government fearmongering

[NLIMBU]

It took two weeks to assemble ready made beds inside the ready made building. Get it right.

[markmunday]

buckingham palace and windsor castle should be given over to corona patients care royals can do there bit if they wanted ??