We have a once in a generation responsibility to confront Covid-19 | Sadiq Khan

America seems reluctant to lead in this crisis: so Europe, and Britain, must step up

• Coronavirus - latest updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

Covid-19 is the biggest health, social and economic emergency we have faced since the second world war. And while we're only at the beginning of the process of halting its spread, we will be living with the consequences for many years to come.

Our first responsibility is to save lives. That means giving our fantastic NHS staff the time and resources they need. The biggest threat to life is if hospitals are overrun - with more patients requiring intensive care than there are beds available - as we've seen in Italy with devastating consequences. We're already starting to see some London hospitals really feeling the strain.