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But today the lobby is cleared of all guests and furniture, except for a single table with a bottle of hand sanitizer, a box of face masks, and a notice that read: “Cough and sneezing spreads disease ”.
A four-foot machine emblazoned with the phrase “Viruskiller” fluttered behind the empty check-in desk.
Hotel manager Alex Palaghiu said the transition from a 4-star hotel to a makeshift medical facility was driven by the need to help the struggling country’s National Health Service (NHS).
“We’re very proud to be a part of it so it’s a really good feeling to be a part of something,” he said. “I believe everyone should come together to support the NHS and save lives.”
It is the first hotel in the UK to participate in this scheme, but if it succeeds it could be a model to convert more guest rooms in the hotel industry, many of which are empty amid the lockdown of the country.
Hospital beds are precious commodities
The NHS is currently astounding amid an unprecedented crisis with more coronavirus patients in hospital than at any other time in the pandemic. A new, more infectious variant of Covid-19, which officials say is out of control, has caused record infection rates.
And Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the country’s intensive care units (ICUs) are at significant risk of being overwhelmed by the disease, which has infected more than 3.2 million people and killed 84,000 people.
Hospital beds are one of the country’s most valuable commodities today, but so far only three patients are recovering on the first floor of the otherwise empty hotel.
Hoteliers say they want health officials to send hundreds of more Covid-19 patients.
“The hospitality industry is virtually closed, so we are all ready to open our doors and cure the sick as soon as possible,” said Meher Nawab, CEO of the London Hotel Group, of which Best Western is a part.
There are no medical staff at the Croydon Hotel to support the patients, who are all in the last days of their isolation period and in need of minimal care.
“Myself and my staff, we are very confident that everything will go well and that we have created a safe environment for our staff and also for these patients who leave prematurely,” explained Palaghiu.
Contactless meal delivery takes place three times a day and phones are monitored 24/7 for emergencies.
Staff took a video training course provided by the NHS, stepped up their hygiene practices and installed air filtration systems throughout the building.
“The feeling is that we are not afraid,” Palaghiu said when asked if he and his staff were reluctant to welcome Covid patients.
“We are properly trained and the standard of cleaning is higher than ever. So we are confident.”
The 4-star hotel is just around the corner from a large hospital and the staff here say they are desperate to provide respite for overwhelmed doctors and nurses.
Nearly half of ICU staff in the UK showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a study conducted in the summer of 2020 by Kings College London. Some of those interviewed had thoughts of harming themselves, while others turned to alcohol abuse.
The owners of this hotel brand say they are in contact with the leaders of the NHS on a daily basis and hope to see their guest rooms fill up in the coming days.
“Thanks to Best Western, we have over 5,000 hotel rooms available. A number of other (hotel) brands have contacted us and within a few weeks we could open 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 hotel rooms. to help the NHS, ”Nawab said.
As cases increase in the UK, health officials may soon accept this offer.
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