University of Wolverhampton joins fight against coronavirus

Universities are playing a key role, with their scientists being asked to help at this time of national emergency.

And experts in Wolverhampton have answered the call, with bosses revealing they have applied for a licence to manufacture ventilators to support the NHS.

They are also shipping testers down to the Government's site at Milton Keynes to help with the effort.

Hand sanitisers and gels, which have been running short as a result of panic buying over recent weeks, will also be produced by the university to be used in care homes and other similar settings.

The Government has come under huge pressure to increase testing for coronavirus, following suggestions it has helped other countries such as Singapore and Taiwan contain it.

Healthcare students and volunteers from the University of Wolverhampton have also moved on the wards to try and help the NHS cope with the escalating crisis.

Vice chancellor Geoff Layer said: "We're focused very much we can do to help.

"The army has picked up two testing machines which have gone out of our science building to the NHS labs in Milton Keynes for testing for coronavirus. Universities are doing that.

"We've also applied for a licence to manufacture ventilators. We're doing things which is all about how can we help?

"We've already produced in our pharmacy department hard-surface sanitiser. It's running out, so we're producing it, and once we get hold of the ingredients we'll be producing hand gel and that will be for care homes and things like that.

"We teach paramedic science. Some of our paramedic students, we have fast-tracked and are working for West Midlands Ambulance Service and our second-year students are volunteering to be vehicle operators, our third-year nursing students are on the wards.

"We've also got quite a few staff who are registered nurses, registered pharmacists and a number of them are volunteering to go and work in the NHS."

Mr Layer hailed the efforts of students and staff in helping to fight against coronavirus.

He said: "Our students straight into the ambulance service, straight onto wards, it's tremendous commitment."