Britain To Carryout "Mock" Readiness For An Ebola Outbreak

A national exercise to test Britain's readiness for an Ebola outbreak will take place today. Government ministers will join dozens of medical professionals from hospitals, the ambulance service and Public Health England for the eight-hour exercise in locations across the country. Actors will simulate symptoms of the deadly virus to test the response of emergency services, while some staff will wear personal protective equipment. A simulated meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee will also be held, chaired by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The exercise was ordered by David Cameron as part of the UK's contingency plan against Ebola, which has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa. It comes after the Prime Minister was forced to defend the decision to introduce enhanced screening for the virus at major airports and terminals, saying it had been taken on "medical advice". Questions have been raised about the checks, which are to take place at Heathrow, Gatwick and Eurostar rail terminals, with a spokesman for Gatwick saying that the airport had not been given any instructions about how the screening should be carried out. The move was also criticised by health experts, with one describing it as a "complete waste of time", while Labour MP Keith Vaz said the lack of precise information available about the screening was "shambolic".