COVID-19 and King’s: Two years on

11 March 2022 - King's marks the two-year anniversary of the coronavirus

Two years ago today (11 March 2020), the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.

Since then, King’s – and hospitals throughout the UK, and the wider world – have worked hard to provide the best possible care and clinical outcomes to patients with the COVID-19 virus.

Like all Trusts, our teams have adapted and improved the way they provide care since 2020 – and patient outcomes for patients with COVID-19 treated in our hospitals are among the best in the country.

Data from the start of the pandemic up to the end of November 2021 shows we were one of the busiest Trusts in the country in terms of COVID-19 admissions, treating 7,341 patients with the virus during that period, and a total of 10,282 as of 11 March 2022.

Data for the period up to November 2021 shows that the survival rate for COVID-19 positive patients under our care was 83.6%, putting us in the top 20% of all Trusts in the country*.

This was due to a range of factors, including the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine, the global development of new and innovative treatments, as well as the skills of our clinical teams.

In addition to clinical care, King’s has participated significantly in COVID-19 research since the start of the pandemic, and our teams have so far contributed over 250 research papers about the virus, so helping to advance knowledge of COVID-19, and how to treat it.

Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive at the Trust, said:

“The past two years have tested everyone, but the way in which colleagues here at the Trust, and across the NHS, have responded to the challenge presented by COVID-19 has been both humbling and inspiring to see.

“Our teams have saved many lives, but they have sadly also seen many people die from the virus as well – and a key part of my role, and other leaders working in healthcare, is to support our colleagues affected by the pandemic, both now, and as we go forward.”

“Of course, COVID-19 is still very much with us, and we are incredibly grateful to our patients, and the communities we serve, for supporting our efforts to keep our hospitals safe, so enabling us to give people the treatment they need, many of whom have been waiting a long time as a direct result of the pandemic.”