One doctor said medics in some badly hit areas are already having to decide how to ration ventilators for intensive care patients and face 'horrifying' choices at work. Chief of healthcare union NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said the spike in Covid inpatients since Christmas alone was enough to fill 18 hospitals. NHS England statistics show that, in the most recent data from December 29, 81 out of 127 major hospital trusts had more Covid patients than on April 12. 'There are almost 9,000 more Covid patients in hospital beds – the equivalent of nearly 18 hospitals – than there was on Christmas Day, just 10 days ago. There are currently very high rates of community transmission, with substantial numbers of Covid patients in hospitals and in intensive care.

Source: Daily Mail January 05, 2021 12:35 UTC