British scientists in Antarctica revealed that their team have enough food to survive ‘for years’ on the frozen continent if the coronavirus outbreak escalates.
UK’s Rothera station leader, Michael Brian, also said strict protocols have been put in place to protect the 140-strong team at the base.
They have a high risk of catching the virus if it arrives on the continent as they share a food hall and live in close proximity at the base where outside temperatures can drop as low as -20 degrees Celsius.
Further measures to be applied by the British Antarctic Survey include isolating anyone that has a cold, as these can spread quickly on the base.
‘We are well protected here and have good procedures in place to look after our health, but our main concern is for friends and family back home, and we are interested to see how the outbreak plays out in the rest of the world,’ Mr Brian said.
‘If the coronavirus outbreak continues to escalate and affect supply lines of fuel and food to Antarctica the base has a contingency plan to “ride out the storm”.’
Olalekan Ajimoti – Blogger, Content Writer, and Digital Marketer helping brands and retailers build 8-figure e-commerce since 2016.
As a corporate trainer, brand communications expert, and brand consultant, I help people start, stay and grow in business leveraging digital skills and traditional expertise.
