Coronavirus: Deaths of hundreds of frontline NHS and care workers to be investigated

The deaths of hundreds of NHS and social care workers infected with coronavirus are under investigation by medical examiners, The Independent has learnt.

Ministers have asked medical examiners in England and Wales to review all deaths of frontline health and social care staff infected with the virus to determine whether the infection was caught as a result of their work.

The review, which started last month, is likely to cover more than 620 deaths including nurses, doctors and care home staff across England and Wales, since the beginning of March.

It could trigger a number of investigations by hospitals, the Health and Safety Executive, and coroners into the protection, or lack of, for staff during the pandemic when many hospitals ran out of protective masks and clothing for staff.

Hospitals have already been ordered to risk assess workers who may be more susceptible to the virus, such as those from a black and minority ethnic backgrounds or those with existing health conditions.

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Source: The Independent, 12 August 2020