Why is A&E empty but building 4000 people hospitals?

[Luci459]

Been to A&E and it was dead!

Went to a children's hospital and it was also dead. We were the only people in there.

The media are saying the hospitals are over run? Groups of nurses and doctors huddling round in the hospitals I was in.

All team sports and extreme sports have stopped. All trampoline parks are closed. Far fewer people are on the roads.

It's not fair to say that A &E is empty just because time wasters aren't going.

It is so confusing trying to second guess what the NHS is doing and what is deemed serious and what is not

Why is it confusing to do as you’re told? Don’t second guess, just do as you’re asked.

Btw, I’m really sorry you’re so ill and I hope you make a complete recovery very soon. 💐

@croprotationinthe13thcentury agreed but I wonder if some people are being advised by government websites and phoning their surgery that their symptoms are probably corona and to stay home?
Then getting worse or dying?
I wonder where all the drunk and homeless regulars have gone, let's hope they've got a bed to sleep in/they're warm.

OK, never mind.

I was in the covid section of a and e on sunday night and it definitely was not quiet. The waiting room in the normal bit was deserted though, it may look quiet but behind the scenes it is very busy. Also the medical teams were separated so the normal a and e staff don't go in the covid area and vice versa.

User1497...., Are you stupid or making fun of the situation? Either way, I can't see you have good intentions.
Of course the phone apps are not equivalent to face to face apps. But the hospital/dr/nurses are trying to do the best without risking the spread of the virus.
Sham on you.

I am staying indoors as I have said on my posts above.

Apologies @Bubblebu I thought you said you were going out for a walk around your village every day.

Bubble IF your temperature was raised (its not) and IF your wound looked like it might be infected (from the photo) you may very well need hospital treatment. Post surgery infection do happen and your nurse may suggest an ambulance in that instance. However, all the while you allow the nurse to monitor you remotely (keeping in contact, emailing temp and photos) you are looking after yourself in the best way possible. Maybe ask your nurse if it’s ok to get some fresh air occasionally?

*shame not sham

I was immunocompromised on 27 Feb when I was ordered into A&E
I was immunocompromised on 7 March when I was ordered into A&E.

Even now I am most likely immunocompromised and yet the NHS can still tell me to either (1) entirely self isolate, how dare you even go for a half an hour walk round your village or (2) get yourself into A&E on public transport - as they decide fit based on an email or phone conversation.

@bubblebu not sure what there is to second guess. If she's worried you have CV she will want to get help for you. Bit mystified as to why you wouldn't want help.

I was in with covid?!!!

Hollys - thank you I appreciate it.

Even now I am most likely immunocompromised and yet the NHS can still tell me to either (1) entirely self isolate, how dare you even go for a half an hour walk round your village or (2) get yourself into A&E on public transport - as they decide fit based on an email or phone conversation.

Yes. Yet you say that like it's a bad thing.

Was seen in 15 mins both times

Doctor said 'we're really quiet'

She is leaving me voicemails whilst I was out on my 1 hour worth of exercise per day.

Same difference, @Bubblebu. You are splitting hairs.

It actually takes her longer to make a phone call and leave you a message because emails can be boilerplate and easily personalised, and can even be generated by a clerical worker in his or her own home.

Do you have absolutely nobody you could ask for a lift, and you could wrap up head to toe in black bin bags, mask, gloves and goggles? The hospital is not specifically demanding that you take public transport.

I have relatives who have used Irish hospitals in the thick of this crisis. One in maternity, plus baby, and one doing chemo. None of them had any choice about hospitalisation.

Bubble, do as you’re being asked, please. If you’re concerned about the nurse being redeployed and what’s potentially happening to cancer services then ask her.

She may well not know, I say this because I’m a nurse specialist and am currently still doing my job as I haven’t been sent anywhere yet. However everything is very uncertain and I feel like we are just waiting for the call. It’s a very strange and uncomfortable feeling right now. For now I will continue to do my job until I’m told otherwise. However there is lots of planning going on behind the scenes in terms of where COVID patients are being treated.

Explain your worries to your nurse in your email, I doubt you’ll be the only one.

Tootle - because if I do have C19 I highly suspect I caught it on public transport or at A&E or hospital sometime between 27 Feb and 10 March when I had surgery even tho I expressed my great concerns to the NHS staff about that.

And as I've said above, the actual treatment I did get from the NHS was faultless - but at no time did they acknowledge my concerns about the (well known) C19 situation up until 10 March.

Bubble, my dc is under immunotherapy. He is 12, and hasn't been out of the house except for our own garden. Instead of seeing a dr, we will be having phone apps. I am happy about it, rather than going into the hospital and risk exposure. There maybe many others like my dc. Children. Coping. Not complaining.

bubblebu I don’t understand - you said you were asked to self-isolate, which you’re not following as you still go out. Why would the nurse ask you to come in if she knows you were asked to self-isolate?

Where I live the main reason for A&E being quiet would be the reduction in the hordes of people who go out in groups with the express intention of getting drunk enough to vomit/render themselves unconscious.

People should still go to A+E, there are still serious diseases other than Covid-19 that they will need to see you for.

One lad I heard of was told not to go to A&E because he had a fever, but later died of malaria (not sure why, but the message that he'd just returned from a trip to Africa didn't get through).

If you have something serious to go to A&E with, you should go. You'll be seen quickly and they're doing their best to keep this coronavirus away from those areas.

Just wondering how many times wasters there are out there!

Just get a taxi if you have to go in and in the meantime do as you’re asked.

The last couple times I’ve been to A&E they’ve been full of very sick old people