Military chiefs are putting up to 20,000 troops on standby to be deployed to Britain’s streets, hospitals and other key sites to help tackle the pandemic. As part of a package of support, thousands of troops will be mobilised or flown home from overseas programmes and put at high readiness to move as part of a new Covid Support Force. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace praised the service's 'unique flexibility' as up to 20,000 troops prepare to be deployed in Britain's streets, hospitals and other key sites. In a most-likely scenario, thousands of military medics, including doctors, nurses and combat medics, will be deployed to help hospitals. At any one time there are some 10,000 troops on standby in the UK to help with a crisis.

Source: Daily Mail March 18, 2020 22:31 UTC