A spokesperson for the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) told Army Technology that military planners are assessing how London’s ExCel centre could be used to relieve pressure on the NHS caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The spokesperson said: “To assist NHS England to prepare for a number of scenarios as the coronavirus outbreak unfolds, a team of military planners visited the ExCeL Centre in London to determine how the centre might benefit the NHS response to the outbreak.”

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The ExCel Centre is known for hosting DSEI and other events on the annual defence calendar.

Army Technology understands that one option could be to use the venue as a temporary hospital to expand the capacity of the NHS in London.