5 July 2020
Following ‘Super Saturday’, after pubs, bars and restaurants reopened in England, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson said: “The fears that Super Saturday could overwhelm Emergency Departments (EDs) thankfully do not seem to have come to pass.
“In terms of the impact on EDs, anecdotal reports from around the country seem suggest we have coped well. However we will not know for certain for a few weeks, both in terms of attendance and Covid-19 cases, until figures are published.
“We appreciate the common sense of the public and thank the majority for following the rules so that they could enjoy their evening out in a responsible, sensible way. However, there seems to have been small pockets where this has not been the case; images from parts of London show a complete disregard for social distancing.
“We hope those involved understand they must not visit their elderly relatives or any vulnerable people who could come to serious harm from the virus.
“As the pictures show, and as the Chair of the Police Federation has said, it is crystal clear that drunk people cannot socially distance, and more work will be needed to figure out ways to enforce it.
“On its 72nd birthday, we remind the public that the NHS is still vulnerable and that individuals have a part to play in protecting it by not going to extremes.”
