Coronavirus: What Roles Could The Military Play If There Is A UK Epidemic?

The military has already played a key role in the government’s response to COVID-19.

Three evacuation flights from China landed at RAF stations, carrying scores of British people back home from Wuhan province - the worst affected part of China.

Military medics were on board the aircraft, joining their civilian counterparts.

However, should coronavirus become an epidemic in the UK, it is not the Armed Forces' medical help that is most likely to be called upon.

What would happen to the military if there is a COVID-19 epidemic in the UK?

A range of services could be severely disrupted if there is an epidemic in the country.

The Armed Forces would be asked to help, just as they were on standby in the event of disruption from Brexit.

Has the military been called to help during virus outbreaks in the past?

The 2001 foot and mouth crisis provides a good example.

Service personnel were called in to help the cull of farm animals in the worst affected areas.

Their work included helping secure land where the infection was thought to be as large parts of the countryside were put into lockdown.

The Armed Forces could be asked to support the police in the event of a major outbreak, should there be civil disorder.

They would help by taking on security tasks from the police.

Will the Armed Forces play a big role in the medical response to coronavirus?

While the Armed Forces have a lot of experience dealing with medical crises, such as the Ebola outbreak in 2014, they are unlikely to play a large role in the medical response to COVID-19.

Many military medics are reservists already working in the NHS, so the additional numbers that could be provided are limited.

As well as preparing to help civil authorities, the forces will also be having to look at how they might be affected if COVID-19 becomes widespread.

Policies will be needed to decide if exercises or even deployments can go ahead versus the risk of spreading the disease by bringing large numbers of service personnel together.

Cover image: Library picture of a member of the Armed Forces during the Ebola outbreak of 2014.