Well not quite. There is the backstory, reported by Owl on 19 March.

“The south west looks most vulnerable in terms of ratios (of projected critical care bed needs to current supply). It has the oldest population (so highest expected mortality) and lowest number of critical care beds per head of population. The modelling suggests it needs six times more than currently exists there (600 per cent).”

“On the upside, the south west currently has a relatively low infection rate. Public Health England (PHE) should be doing everything possible to keep it that way through aggressive testing and containment of new cases [If only! – Owl] (how prophetic these comments by Owl look after only three and a half weeks). If the virus gets out of control in the south west it is likely to sweep through the region’s retirement towns and nursing homes, overwhelming local hospitals.”

Howard Lloyd  www.devonlive.com 

It was confirmed today at the UK Government’s daily coronavirus briefing that a new Nightingale hospital would be set up in Exeter.

In a story already broken by DevonLive last week, the Devon and Cornwall NHS Nightingale hospital will be established to help the country’s fight against COVID-19.

It was confirmed by Ruth May, NHS chief nursing officer for England as she spoke alongside health secretary Matt Hancock and deputy chief medical officer professor Jonathan Van-Tam.

So what do we know about this new hospital?

It will be based at Westpoint Arena on the outskirts of the city, near Clyst St Mary. Westpoint – the site for the annual Devon County Show – is the largest exhibition and entertainment venue in the South West with an indoor venue for up to 7,500 people. It is located near Exeter Airport.

The site – along with one in Sunderland which was also confirmed today – is expected to be operational towards the end of April or early May and will add up to 700 beds to be used by local services if needed.

The army are helping with the construction of both.

Beds for 200

NHS Nightingale North East will have up to 450 beds initially, with NHS Nightingale Exeter adding around 200.

The military helped to set up London’s Nightingale hospital, which so far has 500 beds in place with space for another 3,500.

Similar hospitals are also opening at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre and Manchester’s Central Complex.

In Bristol, 1,000 beds will be available at the University of the West of England.

Hospital will help ‘beat the virus’

Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon, said: “I warmly welcome plans for the new NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter based at Westpoint in East Devon.

“The extra 200 beds will ensure our superb local NHS is as prepared as possible to beat the virus.

“Opening in early May, the new Nightingale Hospital Exeter builds on existing plans to increase critical care capacity in hospitals across Devon.

“We must all play our part by staying at home to protect the NHS and save lives.”

Owl must add that this doesn’t seem to apply to the Housing and Communities Secretary  Robert Jenrick, swanning off to his second home in Herefordshire. Not the action of what Owl would call a Leader.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said: “These hospitals will provide backup and support for NHS hospitals across the South West and the North East, should it be needed.

“Our local health service staff have rightly recommended we go ahead with these additional faciliites. But our ambition as a country has to be to continue to stay at home to cut infections and save lives – so that the need to actually use these Nightingale hospitals is as limited as possible.”

Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director, NHS England, said: “As the NHS faces the greatest health challenge in its history, we’re supporting patients and staff with additional capacity across the soon-to-be seven NHS Nightingale Hospitals.”

“The new sites – including the two announced today in Sunderland and Exeter – will give the NHS the best chance of ensuring coronavirus patients needing specialist care can get it, wherever they live.”