MP calls for help from armed forces as Essex declares 'major incident'
Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex, asked for support from the military with the region's hospitals reaching capacity.
Essex MP Bernard Jenkin has called for the armed forces to help the county cope with rising Covid-19 rates after a "major incident" was declared.
Mr Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex, asked Health Secretary Matt Hancock for support from the military with the region's hospitals reaching capacity.
The hope would be that the armed forces could help construct community hospitals to provide additional hospital capacity which would be supported by and partially staffed by the armed forces.
Mr Jenkin also asked for help from the military with the roll-out of the vaccine and also requested that the government look into a different testing method, run by German company .
In reply, West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock said that he is aware the pressures in Essex are "very significant" and "important", adding that he would look "favourably" upon any application to bring in the armed forces to the region.
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He added that he will "absolutely" look into the new BioNTech test and "get back to him".
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