NHS and private hospitals join forces to fight coronavirus crisis

Ten more people in the UK die as hundreds of scientists warn that government's 'herd immunity' strategy is risking too many lives

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The NHS is to join forces with the private health sector this week in an emergency plan to combat the coronavirus crisis, as fears grow that publicly funded hospitals will soon be unable to cope with the number of patients suffering from the virus.

News of the unprecedented partnership came as 245 scientists and mathematicians denounced the government plan to achieve "herd immunity" by delaying measures to prevent the virus spreading, saying acting now would save "thousands of lives".