Coronavirus: Queen’s Brian May criticises ‘horrendous’ lack of PPE for NHS workers

More than 100 NHS workers are known to have died of coronavirus

Queen guitarist Brian May has called the expectation on NHS workers to “risk their lives” by working without personal protective equipment (PPE) “horrendous”.

The musician told BBC News that he was “angry and sad” that those on the frontlines in the battle against coronavirus were having to work without the necessary equipment, with more than 100 NHS and healthcare workers known to have died of Covid-19.

“People have died,” May said. “Young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. I find it absolutely heartbreaking. I think we as a nation have to be ashamed that we were not prepared.”

Along with drummer Roger Taylor and singer Adam Lambert, May has recorded a new version of rousing anthem “We Are The Champions” with Queen to pay tribute to healthcare key workers.

Proceeds from the song, which has been renamed “You Are The Champions”, will go to the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 fund to help support medical workers around the world.

It follows after May cited meat-eating as the cause of coronavirus, despite no scientific consensus on its origin having been reached yet.

“This pandemic seemed to come from people eating animals and it’s becoming more well known that eating animals is not the greatest thing for our health,” the vegan activist told NME.

“We’ve seen more of the effects of how eating animals has brought us to our knees as a species” he continued.

“I think it’s time to re-examine our world in a way that doesn’t abuse other species.”