FA ‘to offer Wembley to the NHS to be used in the fight against coronavirus’ as health service looks for temporary bases and field hospitals
- The iconic stadium will be offered to the National Health Service
- Wimbledon, Lord’s and Twickenham among venues to offer their facilities
- The UK coronavirus death toll has risen by 209 in 24 hours from 1,019 to 1,228
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
FA bosses are ready to offer the use of Wembley Stadium in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The iconic stadium will be offered to the National Health Service as they look for temporary bases and field hospitals.
It comes after Wimbledon, Lord’s, Twickenham, Silverstone and Cardiff ’s Principality Stadium all offered their facilities.
FA bosses are ready to offer the use of Wembley Stadium in the fight against coronavirus
The Wembley arch was lit up blue on Thursday and the words ‘Thank You NHS’ emblazoned above the main entrance.
Showcasing the picture on the Wembley Stadium official Twitter account, a message accompanying the tweet read: ‘To all of our NHS and front-line staff working tirelessly through this challenging time, Wembley Stadium and its partners thank you.
‘Our arch will be lit up blue each night to shine a light on your efforts and show our appreciation during this unprecedented period. #NHSthankyou.’
The stadium is less than three miles from Northwick Park Hospital, which was the first in the UK to declare a ‘critical incident’ after a surge in patients suffering with the deadly virus.