Some 11,788 retired doctors, nurses and medics have answered the call to arms and are returning to frontline duties to fight the coronavirus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock paid tribute to those former members of the NHS, who have ‘returned in our hour of need.’

Mr Hancock said that 2,660 doctors and around 2,500 other health professionals, including pharmacists, had returned to work.

He added that on top of that, there were 6,147 nursing staff giving up their retirement to help the UK in its time of need.

Mr Hancock told the daily press conference: ‘I want to pay tribute to each and every one of those who has returned to the NHS at the hour of need.’

Some 5,500 final-year medics and 18,700 final-year student nurses would ‘move to the frontline’ next week.

During the press conference, Mr Hancock also announced that a new hospital would open next week in London.

He said the NHS Nightingale Hospital would open at the Excel exhibition centre in the east end of the capital.

It will comprise of two wards and be able to house 4,000 people.

He also said he was looking to recruit 250,000 volunteers in good health who could help the NHS by delivering support and medicines to those in the most at-risk groups.

Mr Hancock spoke after it was confirmed that the UK death toll has now reached 422.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a lockdown of the UK, saying people needed to stay at home to beat the ‘invisible killer.’

People should only to leave their homes under a list of ‘very limited purposes’ and he forced the closure of non-essential shops.

Public gatherings of more than two people have been banned and people in breach of the list face a £30 fine.

This morning though, there were still scenes of crammed train carriages as people headed into work.

Mr Hancock said: ‘These steps are not requests, they are rules.

‘You should stay at home except to shop for food for medical reasons for exercise or for work including caring and volunteering in the coronavirus national effort.

‘The more we follow the rules the sooner we will stop the spread and so everybody has a responsibility to follow those rules and where possible to stay at home.

‘I know how worried people are and while this is a great time of turbulence it is a moment too where the country can come together in that national effort.’

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