Piers Morgan blasts ‘tone deaf’ Matt Hancock and Michael Gove for ‘back-slapping’ each other on Twitter over new ventilators that ‘haven’t arrived’ on day UK suffered worst coronavirus deaths of 381
- Health Secretary applauded arrival of ventilators for the NHS on Twitter
- Colleague Michael Gove congratulated him for his ‘great leadership’ amid crisis
- Piers Morgan slammed the pair amid a chronic shortage of ventilators
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Piers Morgan has slammed ministers Michael Gove and Matt Hancock for ‘backslapping each other’ on their efforts to fight coronavirus when hundreds are dying of the infection.
The Good Morning Britain presenter said the two cabinet ministers ‘got his goat’ last night when they congratulated one another on showing ‘great leadership’ over the provision of ventilators for seriously ill patients on Twitter.
He fumed on GMB this morning: ‘Imagine being so tone deaf that two of the most senior members of this government, when we know there’s a crippling shortage, when people are literally dying in ICU units right now through a lack of ventilators.
‘Imagine being so tone deaf that you back slap each other on Twitter, in public. What a great job we’ve done. You have not done a great job.’
‘We don’t have enough ventilators, we don’t have enough PPE equipment, we don’t have enough tests, we haven’t got enough anything. We’re going into this battle without the tools to fight it with. It’s a disgrace.’
Yesterday the UK saw its biggest increase in coronavirus deaths yet from 1,408 to 1,789.
Piers Morgan (pictured on GMB today) said the two cabinet ministers ‘got his goat’ last night when they congratulated one another on showing ‘great leadership’ over the provision of ventilators for seriously ill patients on Twitter
Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet minister Michael Gove congratulated each other on Twitter last night
The Government has been desperately trying to increase its stock of 8,000 ventilators by placing orders with a number of UK manufacturers – some who have not made any before.
This morning Housing and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the Government has received 30 of the new ventilators.
Meanwhile there have been reports of ‘ventilator rationing’ at one London hospital.
Extremely ill patients need ventilators for a number of weeks, which officials at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said would ‘not be in their best interests.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: ‘NEWS: The first new ventilators will be ready for delivery to our NHS next week.’
Cabinet minister Michael Gove, who has stepped in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deliver the Government’s daily coronavirus press conference, replied: ‘Thanks to Matt Hancock for great leadership on this.’
This means only those with a ‘reasonable chance of survival’ could get access to ventilators.
Mr Morgan’s co-host Susanna Reid added: ‘Imagine if you’re someone waiting for a ventilator.’
The TV hosts’ scathing comments come after Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: ‘NEWS: The first new ventilators will be ready for delivery to our NHS next week.
The Government has placed two orders of 10,000 ventilators – one to Dyson – and the other to a group of manufacturers including Ford (prototype pictured)
‘A fantastic response from businesses to our call for a national effort to fight #coronavirus.’
Cabinet minister Michael Gove, who has stepped in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deliver the Government’s daily coronavirus press conference, replied: ‘Thanks to Matt Hancock for great leadership on this.’
The Health Secretary then replied: ‘Thanks Michael – and for your leadership too – it’s been a big team effort.’
Experts at University College London have also teamed up with the Mercedes Formula One team to produce a different type of ventilator – a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device (pictured) – to treat COVID-19 patients who are not as severely ill with the virus
Health bosses have ordered 10,000 ventilators from Dyson and another 10,000 from a group of 23 businesses, including Ford and JCB.
Experts at University College London have also teamed up with the Mercedes Formula One team to produce a different type of ventilator – a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device – to treat COVID-19 patients who are not as severely ill with the virus.
CPAPs push a mixture of air and oxygen into the mouth and nose without having to directly pump it into the lungs, which an invasive ventilator does and requires sedation.
So far 1,789 people have died of COVID-19 in the UK and 25,150 have tested positive.