Boris Johnson is being urged to join an EU procurement scheme to secure ventilators to treat people affected by coronavirus, amid fears there is likely to be a shortage.
The European Commission is organising a joint procurement of ventilators and protective equipment for medics like masks, with the vast majority of EU member states set to take part.
The programme is likely to reduce costs and pool resources for countries taking part because of the bloc’s large collective buying power when dealing with medical equipment manufactures.
But the UK has not yet indicated whether it will take part in the programme – with participation being seen as a test of whether Mr Johnson will stick to his Brexit guns, or show pragmatism to fight Covid-19.
“At a time when the NHS is facing chronic shortages of ventilators and other vital medical equipment, it is deeply concerning that the Government has reportedly refused to take part in the EU joint procurement scheme,” said Liberal Democrat MP and leadership candidate Layla Moran.
“We will only beat the threat posed by COVID-19 by working together with our friends and partners in Europe and around the world.
“Ministers must put pragmatism above ideological considerations and urgently opt in to the EU joint procurement scheme, so that we can secure the vital equipment NHS workers and those suffering from COVID-19 so desperately need.”
A European Commission spokesperson confirmed that the UK was “eligible to participate in these joint procedures” despite having left the bloc on 31 January.
Mr Johnson himself has said there is likely to be a shortage and urged manufacturers to produce more equipment, notably ventilators – which are key in treating people in the most deadly stages of the disease.
But he took criticism after he joked in a conference call with the leaders of 60 manufacturing businesses that the scheme could be called “Operation Last Gasp”.
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AFP via Getty
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An empty street in Wuhan. Hubei will relax travel restrictions to allow healthy people to move within the hard-hit province
AFP via Getty
3/29 Thailand
The Legend Siam theme park, usually attracts up to 20,000, mainly Chinese customers, a day in the high season, is temporarily closed due to the lack of visitors during the coronavirus outbreak
AFP via Getty
4/29 Italy
An empty Piazza Duomo in Milan
Getty
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Aerial photo shows the Covid-19 isolation and monitoring site, where the first patient Joey Camp is being isolated at Hard Labor Creek State Park, about 50 miles east of Atlanta
Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP
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Aerial view taken of the Ipurua stadium in Eibar while the Spanish league football match SD Eibar against Real Sociedad is played behind closed doors in light of the coronavirus outbreak
AFP via Getty
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An aerial view of empty Tirana’s outer ring. Albania has stepped up measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 caused by the novel coronavirus and banned circulation of all cars (except ambulances and supplies) for 3 days and urged people to stay home as the number of infected people increased to 33
AFP via Getty
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An empty cafe during a curfew imposed by Iraqi Kurdish authorities, following the outbreak of coronavirus, near the castle in the old city of Erbil
Reuters
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An aerial view shows hygiene officials riding a vehicle disinfecting public buses at a depot in Gwangju
EPA
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A woman runs though the nearly empty historic center of Antwerp
AP
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Jingyue bridge, spanning the Yangtze river, leading to Hubei province
AFP via Getty
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Formula One Vietnam Grand Prix race track in Hanoi
AFP via Getty
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Restaurant terraces remain closed at the usually overcrowded Plaza Mayor in central Madrid
AFP via Getty
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Tourist buses parked on a lot near Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok
AFP via Getty
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An aerial view of Jagiellonian University’s new campus during the 2 weeks closure of universities, schools, museums and other public facilities in Krakow
Getty
16/29 Italy
A canal and the roads next to it are seen completely empty in Venice
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17/29 Greece
An aerial view taken with a drone showing the yard of an empty school at Nafplio, Peloponnese
EPA
18/29 Saudi Arabia
An aerial view shows an empty white-tiled area surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca’s Grand Mosque
AFP via Getty
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Rome’s office district EUR, at what would have otherwise been rush hour, virtually empty after a government decree has limited circulation
AP
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Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan
Getty
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Legend Siam theme park in Pattaya
AFP via Getty
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Empty shelves in a supermarket in Brussels
AFP via Getty
23/29 Iran
A satellite view shows Tehran airport
Maxar Technologies via Reuters
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The deserted Via Manzoni street in Milan
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25/29 Saudi Arabia
AFP via Getty
26/29 Italy
An empty street and canal in Venice
Reuters
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An aerial photo shows unused tourist buses parked on a lot near Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok
AFP via Getty
28/29 China
An almost empty street in Wuhan
AFP via Getty
29/29 Poland
A view of the deserted Krakowskie Przedmiescie and tahe Old Town Square in Warsaw
EPA
Speaking on Tuesday following the call, Mr Johnson said: “We really only have a few weeks to build literally thousands of ventilators this country will need.
“The British industry, manufacturers, are responding to this challenge with incredible energy and determination.”
