Frontline NHS and terrified

[Frigginella]

Anyone else? Just read about a 36 year old nurse in ITU with it, she had no other health conditions. Also a 39 social worker with no health conditions in the US died with it.
We don’t have the appropriate equipment. I’m expected to go into homes with a normal (not-filter) mask and apron and gloves only. In my own clothes that I will then get back into my car wearing and wear home.
And whilst I have these fears that I may die and leave my 2 young children without a Mum people are being so fucking irresponsible. My nurse neighbour is having friends over all the time, my other neighbour is off out all the time. When I drive to work (the only time I’m out the house) there’s so many people carrying on as normal. If this is you ... you could kill people like me who are being responsible but our job makes it impossible to protect ourselves.

I’m not coping at all. Frequently in tears when I’m home. Not sleeping, not eating just constant worry.

You people are in a league of your own, I'll be the first to admit I would quit as i wouldn't have the guts to do what you are doing with such shoddy protection. You deserve a huge pay rise and sterling PPE, at the very least. You are heroes.

Some of us are listening, I promise. I'm at home in bed with symptoms, my DH is staying off work and we're not leaving the house. If what I have is covid, I'll do my best to manage at home as best I can and leave the lines free for those in greater need.

My heart aches for those of you who are single parents. I don't know how you do it. But thank you.

Frigginella in a way I’m glad it’s not just me. I was beginning to feel i was just spectacularly bad at coping with stuff.
I have a health condition too and am so scared.
For me, my loved ones, the patients, my job and everything else in between

I’m not sleeping and crying frequently.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. The only thing I can do is stay home. I have not been out all week. My son just drops things in the porch. I know I am vulnerable to infection - you don’t need more patients. Thank you again .

@ChestyNut
Same here. Facing redeployment and completely scared. I hate that I have to send my kids to ‘school’. I just want to be at home with them.

Same here, been redeployed to front line, dc having to go to school as dh also works for the nhs. Just want to stay home and never go out again!

Do you have WhatsApp groups with your colleagues OP? We have a few and I find that a helpful outlet. And remember there are many people in the same boat, if that helps. It's frustrating, without PPE the fear is a huge mental burden.

@Moodymag

Thank you for doing that. I wish more people could just do that, it would help immensely.

If it helps a little bit: In an interview with a doctor specialised in viruses he mentioned that its very unlikely you can get the virus from clothing. Clothing fibres are very sticky for this type of viruses and he knew of no cases where similar viruses could be transferable through clothing.

Hopefully that might give you one less thing to worry about.

I'm a nhs manager. Everybody is so scared. You're not unusual to feel like this.
I'm not clinically trained. Nobody is asking me to go to the wards. My job is to make it as easy and well planned as possible for all of you to do your jobs. I am in awe of the stoicism people are showing but burn out and fear is going to be as much a problem as the virus itself.

I had heard that "healthy" "young" doctors without underlying health conditions were falling very ill from Coronavirus due to something called virus loading is that right? They are getting sick because they aren't just coming into contact with a few spores from one infected person but multiple so they are getting much higher doses of the virus?

Is there anyway to rotate staff in ICUs to minimise exposure like this?

Not too bothered TBH- inappropriate PPE- all the good stuff is being saved for/used in ICU but for some reason this all really isn't bothering me (work in ED and on fever clinic) so it should be, but I can't seem to get excited.

The negligence is surely criminal. Wuhan locked down on 23rd January. Governments have been accusing the press of scaremongering instead of preparing.

I really think NHS staff should threaten to strike if the dickhead leading this shit show doesn't quickly come to the realisation that he needs to get more PPE manufactured now. He is so fucking THICK.

It is on Boris Johnson, not you, to keep the fatality rate to a minimum.

Both me and DP are A&E, with 2 children. Not enough equipment and the public still treating this like an extended holiday and putting us at risk. Never felt so vulnerable nor fearful for my family and colleagues. Wish people would stay at home.

To all of you on the frontline we are forever grateful! Please sign and share this Petition to help us survive!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/301397

I'm a paramedic.

I've developed symptoms this afternoon - my last shift was Thursday and I spent most of my shift giving advice to people who thought that the go online advice didn't apply to them as they were far too important so called 999 instead and somehow bypassed (lied!) and got an ambulance response! I'm livid!
That coupled with PPE that's not fit for purpose.

I feel like I've been run over.
I've 2 jumpers on indoors T37.8
Awful headache and yes I've coughed a bit today.

My partner is also a paramedic so they have to stay off too! 😡

I've just signed and shared the petition. The government's response underneath is pathetic

I feel for you OP. Your work is hugely appreciated, thank you for all you are doing.

I've started a thread from a different perspective, I'm an AHP and want to come back to NHS to help but my DH is very against this.

As there as HCP's on this thread does anyone have advice for this situation? Don't want to derail, the link to my thread is here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3855125-aibu-to-go-back-to-nhs

Hope you feel better soon @Frigginella
I’m just getting better a week after symptoms started.

I’m front line and scared about what I’m going back to after isolation period.

When you import a lot from China it's not as easy as just speeding up production:

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/clinical/clinical-specialties/respiratory-/ban-on-chinese-exports-of-coronavirus-ppe-restricting-supplies-to-uk/20040385.article

It's criminal that there isn't enough, the cynic in me is suspicious that the late reporting by the Chinese allowed for them to make this sort of equipment in huge numbers to keep for themselves as they knew production lines would be severely affected. Just my opinion, obviously not fact. I really, really sincerely hope that this is rectified soon and everyone who needs it has actually appropriate PPE, rather than just that'll do (when it won't).

Quite honestly I'm just resigned to it but I'm pissed off that all we've had at work for protection so far are gloves and normal aprons, there are no masks anywhere to be seen.
In my mind that's just bloody negligent and it's not our managers who have spent weeks fighting for us, there is no special equipment out there for us.
I go into work everyday wondering if this is the day I get sick, has my (non ICU) patient been larking about on the beach or in town with the rest of them. Are they infected.
I'm 60 and I've had a good life but I'm not ready to go just yet.

I've tried to buy my own equipment online because I'm so worried about not being protected but there is nothing out there,

Madcat, that is the sad truth. It isn't procurement people sat twiddling their thumbs, or the money not being provided; it simply doesn't exist. Every country is after the same items, and those who manufacture or provide the materials have ceased production. There are some bits in the supply chain, but no way near enough and to the levels required. I am not saying this means that healthcare staff should just accept it, they shouldn't and it is outrageous, but by China concealing it there wasn't time to prepare before everyone else was doing the same.

Hopefully the kits that were in storage are being fairly distributed, and not held up or hoarded anywhere.

@FrankiesKnuckle that’s happened to us too. We’re screening before face to face contact, being lied to then people are disclosing symptoms after 30 minutes of sitting next to you! Disgraceful. I hope you recover quickly.
I was hoping for a lockdown to be announced, seems he’s happy with how things are going and condoning children going to playgrounds to keep active