I’ve had permission to post this message tonight from a frontline NHS worker who lives in a town near me. I don’t know her, have never met her.
I’m posting it publicly so anyone who reads this can share it. Please read it and please share it.
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As a front line NHS worker I do not know how to say this without sounding dramatic. Just fucking stay in. Please. Nearly 800 people dead in a day in Italy. EIGHT HUNDRED. That is 2 747s. And tomorrow will me more than 800. This is exponential. Once you start reducing transmission it will take 2-3 weeks for that to have an effect on ICU admission, maybe 2-3 weeks more for deaths. There is no way we will not get to Italy. We are already there. Every single human contact you have is a potential spread. We go to escalation on Monday. We were hoping maybe 1-2 weeks before it hits us really badly but that might optimistic. But of course it is not us it is hitting. It is you. It is your families, your friends. Please please please just stay in.
For the first time ever in my life I cannot rush into a room and try and save or help people. It might be 10-15 minutes before I can get in. Psychologically this is devastating for healthcare workers who are used to bending every rule they can to get you your care in an overstretched system.
I am scared that I am going to be intubating my friends and colleagues. I am scared that my exposure might lead me to being a victim.
End of message