UK reactivates COVID-19 emergency clinics, shuts London primary schools

LONDON (Reuters) - In order to tackle the rapid spread of a much more contagious form of coronavirus, Britain reactivated emergency hospitals established at the start of the pandemic and closed primary schools in London on Friday.

Over the last four days, with more than 50,000 new daily cases of COVID-19, the health service said it was ready for an expected patient rush and needed more beds.

The announcement comes only days after staff were told in an email by the Royal London Hospital that it was now in "disaster medicine mode" and unable to provide high-standard critical care.

The government has agreed to close all London elementary schools with the capital one of the areas worst-hit by the current version, which is up to 70 percent more contagious, reversing a decision taken only two days earlier.

"Education and wellbeing for children remains a national priority," said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson. "The move to remote education in additional parts of London is really a last resort and a temporary solution."

Britain is facing a new outbreak of a virus that has already destroyed over 74,000 individuals and crushed the economy. It reported 53,285 cases in the last 24 hours on Friday, one of the hardest hit countries in the world, and 613 new deaths.

The government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been criticized for numerous reversals during the pandemic, including delaying the lockdown during the first wave in March and dropping a system without exams to grant school grades.

One achievement, constructed by the military in a matter of days, was the temporary 'Nightingale' hospitals at places such as convention centres. They were scarcely used, but they stayed on standby.

A Sky News study said that three London hospitals' intensive care units were complete on New Year's Eve, requiring patients to be moved to other critical care hospitals.

A spokeswoman for the National Health Service (NHS) said, "In anticipation of pressures rising from the spread of the new variant infection, the NHS London Region was asked to ensure that the Nightingale was reactivated and ready to admit patients if needed."

However, the Royal College of Nursing cautioned that the nation does not have enough nurses to staff the new sites, especially with many sick with the virus or forced to isolate them.

On education, after a study of the transmission rates, the government said it had to close all primary schools in the capital. Williamson had outlined a plan on Wednesday to delay the reopening of secondary schools, but to open most primary schools on time next week after Christmas break, including across much of the capital.

The opposition Labour Party said the last-minute reversal would cause parents to become chaotic.