“We love you NHS”: UK health service gears up for virus peak

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s National Health Service, the cornerstone of the nation’s post-war welfare state, may be stretched to the breaking point in the coming weeks. Hospitals are bracing for an expected tsunami of critically ill patients when the coronavirus pandemic reaches its peak across the United Kingdom. With years of austerity and rising demand already straining NHS resources, the health service is facing the biggest test in its 72-year history as the government races to ensure hospitals and clinics across the country have the staffing and equipment they need to cope with the crisis.