The BMA urged the public during the Super Saturday weekend to act responsibly amid fears that emergency departments could see a sharp rise in alcohol-related attendances as pubs and bars reopen under new lockdown rules.
Emergency departments saw a decline in the number of alcohol-related injuries during lockdown, however emergency departments are operating with significantly reduced capacity having been re-structured to allow for social distancing in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Doctors feared that the new lockdown rules might lead to undue pressure on NHS emergency services.
Dr Simon Walsh, BMA emergency medicine lead said: “The Government’s decision to re-open pubs and bars on a Saturday has created a so-called ‘countdown to carnival’ and there is a real concern that emergency departments could see a surge in alcohol-related emergency attendances on Saturday.
“A sudden rise in A&E activity coming after months of NHS resources and frontline staff being pushed to their limits, coupled with current measures around PPE and social distancing, could make it very difficult for hospitals to cope. What’s more, it is important to remember that we are not out of this pandemic yet, with thousands of new cases of Covid-19 each week,” he added.
