What is the Ministry of Defence’s plan to fight coronavirus?

Britain’s armed forces are at the ready if they are needed to handle the coronavirus outbreak (Picture: PA)

Reserve soldiers, sailors and airmen could be called-out to aid the Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The British Army already has 20,000 troops on standby and has put 10,000 at ‘higher readiness’ to tackle civil emergencies as part of its ‘Covid support force’.

A team of 150 personnel have been earmarked to help NHS staff drive oxygen tankers patients in need while the Government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is helping Public Health England understand the airborne virus and how it spreads.

So far the military have been used to assist with emergency evacuation flights from China and Japan, but now they are gearing up for the crisis at home as the UK infection count continues to climb.

Soldiers from The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland , help to shore up flood defences as Storm Dennis begins to make landfall in February (Picture: Getty Images)

Specialist army planners are also being deployed to give advice to local resilience forums – partnerships bringing local authorities and public services together.

Some British soldiers are being recalled from Iraq while the coalition mission is paused for 60 days due to the impact of the pandemic.

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The army could be called in to assist police if needed (Picture: Getty Images)

When does the Government call in the military?

• The civil authority has all or some capability, but may not be able to act immediately
• Rapid transport is needed for an urgent task
• Civil authorities don’t have the means to complete a task and it would be unreasonable or too expensive to develop them
• There is a definitive need to act and it is clear what the armed forces need to do
• Mutual aid and commercial alternatives have been discounted

What would the military help with?

1. Planning for government departments
2. Saving lives and protecting property during natural disasters
3. Medical and logistical advice during public health epidemics
4. Providing trained logistics experts during industrial disruption affecting safety and security or disrupting communications or transport links
5. Offering help to respond to terrorism or criminality
6. Bomb disposal
7. Mountain rescue
8. Protecting UK waters by proving help for energy installations, ports immigration issues and protection of fisheries.

The Ministry of Defence have systems in place to handle emergencies closer to home under the Military Aid to Civil Authorities protocol, which has lent an extra pair of hands to flood relief during Storm Dennis and keeping the 2012 London Olympics safe.

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