Swann, a member of the women's eight crew which claimed silver at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, will work as an interim foundation year doctor at a hospital near her home in Scotland for the next three months.

The 31-year-old, who said she will not be on the frontline tackling COVID-19, will also be balancing the role with her training for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

"A lot of junior doctors have been moved to the most critical parts of the NHS, so interim foundation year doctors are backfilling their roles," Swann said.

"I'm definitely not a frontline ICU worker, but I'm glad I can still help to ease the burden in some way."

Swann, who graduated as a doctor from the University of Edinburgh back in July 2019, said she was used to juggling work and her training.

"I had the experience of training alongside working when I was in my last few months of medical school last year so it’s not entirely new to me," she said. 

"The team at British Rowing have been really supportive and flexible. 

"My coach Tom Pattichis has devised a programme with the help of our physiologist and physios that I can do while I’m working, which has really put me at ease. 

"I’m staying with my parents for lockdown so I have a rowing machine in their hallway, some dumbbells in the living room and a wattbike in my dad’s toolshed, which I’m sure is very annoying for them."

Britain has reported the third-highest number of cases of COVID-19 in Europe.

According to latest figures, more than 182,000 people in Britain have been infected and over 28,000 have died.