Prince William was at the opening of another U.K. coronavirus center, the NHS Nightingale Hospital, in Birmingham on April 16. The Duke of Cambridge was actually in attendance virtually and spoke with the healthcare workers via video conferencing.
The second NHS Nightingale Hospital stands at the National Exhibition Centre. It follows the establishment of the first hospital at the Excel Centre in East London, which was virtually opened by Prince Charles on April 3.
In his message to the NHS staff, Prince William once again thanked the healthcare center frontliners for their "selfless commitment" amid the coronavirus pandemic. He said that this new building is another testament of how the community comes together to face this challenge. It was built together with the help of the local government, business leaders from the private sector and the armed forces. According to reports, the temporary hospital was built in less than eight days.
"You all deserve our huge thanks, and you should all be hugely proud of what you have achieved in such a short space of time," the Duke of Cambridge said.
Prince William also talked to some of the personnel who will work at the center. One said that the Duke of Cambridge asked important questions that showed he was interested in the lives of the people who will be serving the public.
Another said that Prince William also asked about their supplies, such as the grocery items given to NHS workers who might have no more time to shop as they attend to patients. The Duke of Cambridge even cracked a joke about their waistlines.
Just like the first NHS Nightingale Hospital, the new coronavirus center will be taking in patients with less severe symptoms. This way, actual hospitals around Birmingham can treat critical and acute patients with COVID-19.
Once the pandemic is over, the coverted hospitals may be used for treating patients who have delayed surgery or other non-critical conditions. The 500-bed facility started becoming fully operational on April 10 but it has yet to take in patients. The other center can accommodate 4,00 beds.
Meanwhile, Prince William has been staying in isolation in Anmer Hall. He and his wife, Kate Middleton, are also homeschooling Prince George and Princess Charlotte because classes have been transferred digitally since the middle of March.
The U.K. will remain close for business and ban large gathering until the middle of May as coronavirus cases have yet to decrease. To date, the country has over 14,000 cases and less than 2,000 deaths.
