Letter from the UK

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID‐19) pandemic has had a universal effect, dominating headlines and transforming both healthcare delivery and day‐to‐day life in the UK. The first cases were registered on 31 January 2020, and peak caseload reached in late March to early May. As of September 2020, there have been over 340 000 confirmed cases and 40 000 deaths. As respiratory physicians in Leicester in the UK, we shall give herein a reflection on the local and national impact, and our response.