We are now in disaster mode

[lovelemoncurd]

“We are now in disaster medicine mode,” it said.
“We are no longer providing high-standard critical care, because we cannot. While this is far from ideal, it’s the way things are, and the way they have to be for now.”

I see that this means rationing medical care. So those who would have previously been given a chance will now not.

This is really significant!

@MargeryMcLatchie

"If you're over 70, even if you're normally in decent health, don't expect to get prioritised for treatment if you have to come into A&E for any reason, Covid-related or otherwise"

^ As told to my 73 year old mum by her A&E consultant neighbour in London.

You can't put it clearer than that.

This. They are prioritising the 20 and 30 year olds who are presenting needing beds, over the 70+ year olds. The doctors are having to triage as if in a war zone already.

I’m not particularly scared of Covid but I am scared of the NHS being overwhelmed and my son having an asthma attack and not getting treatment or my FIL having another heart attack and not getting seen, I’m not hysterical by any means but abide by the rules so you don’t needlessly spread something.

@MadameBlobby To be frank we have reached a point that all we can do as individuals is limit the amount of contact we have with other people - who are vectors for this virus.

The virus has reached to such high levels in the community all we can do now it try to stem the rate of infection.

Medically we can support patients to recover but we are limited with what we can offer- it's mainly a waiting game to see what the patients immune system will do. I think people need to understand that medical science can't 'save' you when you have Covid you have to save yourself with us supporting you with oxygen etc.

That's what is so worrying here- we have very little control - but what we can all do is to stop the spread in the first place, the vaccine is a huge step forward but it will take time.

For those feeling reassured that their hospitals are not full, the excess patients from elsewhere are being transferred around the country. Unfortunately it’s not just london, if you look at the map it’s an enormous area covering at least half the country that has the highest rate. They’ve also had to change the scale, so instead of the highest rate being over 400 it’s now over 1000 cases per 100000. The problem is that some people are terrified already and it’s not fair to increase their anxiety but there’s so many people not listening..

I have GS living with me for lockdown due to parents shifts, one NHS, plan was he would go home weekends to give me a break, making sure he is up and engaged with online lessons can be trying but we have decided it is too risky so he can't go home for now.

We are nowhere near London or any other high area, can't imagine how scary it must be. I hope everyone keeps safe.

@screamingfemale

well *@tokenbalm* vitamin D has a far longer history of being beneficial to health than the vaccine does, and a much better safety profile. Anyway the vaccine won't stop you from getting or transmitting Coronavirus, it just means you're less likely to have severe symptoms, much like having a good immune system will do for you. Not sure whats up with society that everyone has succumbed to the billion dollar marketing budgets of big pharma, begging for synthetic, untested chemicals when a good diet and fresh air is provably as effective at keeping your immune system strong.

"Not sure whats up with society that everyone has succumbed to the billion dollar marketing budgets of big pharma, begging for synthetic, untested chemicals"

Oh dear! You actually believe the rubbish you spout. Big pharma!
So assume you are quite happy to lock down forever then because without a vaccine this will be around for a long time

I had to go out yesterday (collection from the Post Office), and the streets here in SW London were as busy as any normal day, with both cars and people. No indication we are in lockdown at all, and completely different from the original lockdown when it was like a ghost town.

Too many people seem to think the rules don't apply to them.

Your post is so blindly hypocritical it is ridiculous. Maybe they also had to collect a parcel from the Post Office?

Old news really, hospitals in East London made this announcement a bit ago - it's shit but not unexpected given the mutation, the government turn arounds and some of the population refusing to follow guidance.

That's the only time I've been out since lockdown was announced, and actually the first time I'd been out since Christmas Eve; it was essential paperwork I had to collect.

I doubt everyone else was out and about on essential business. Why is that hard to believe?

but why do we never get a figure which shows the percentage of positive tests against number of tests carried out? Surely this would be more meaningful?

They publish both the number of tests and the number of positive tests, both daily totals and rolling 7 day ones. The increase in number of positive tests (up 33.8%) outstrips the increase in number of tests (up 28.2%), which is a pattern that shows clearly that the increase is not just a result of more testing.

This. They are prioritising the 20 and 30 year olds who are presenting needing beds, over the 70+ year olds. The doctors are having to triage as if in a war zone already

Not quite - it’s ‘Three Wise Men’ not full reverse triage

No screamingfemale.
A vaccine is a much better defence against a dangerous disease than a good diet and fresh air. If you remember polio (I am old enough to remember elderly acquaintances who had disabilities in walking for life because they had polio when young . It was a major scourge which was removed by vaccination rather than by long walks). The vaccination has gone through stringent tests by regulators. There are nurses and doctors on the edge now fighting to save lives and you are still saying that vaccines don’t help.

@BIWI

That's the only time I've been out since lockdown was announced, and actually the first time I'd been out since Christmas Eve; it was essential paperwork I had to collect.

I doubt everyone else was out and about on essential business. Why is that hard to believe?

Maybe they all had essential paperwork to collect?

It is a bit hypocritical. If you’ve not been out, how come you missed the postal delivery?

@TonMoulin

Actually *@screamingfemale* there. Is a consensus in the medical community that we should all be taking 4000IU of vit D to help with covid and reduce the death toll. The NHS is already recommending for everyone to supplement, albeit at a lower level and. Has done so since the summer

However, as I said before, it’s only ONE TOOL amongst others. It doesn’t mean we should have no lockdown , mask etc...

Agree entirely, I’ve been using a vitamin d spray on myself and my family since the beginning, not as some protective shield but a tool to improve odds as much as possible whilst following all the guidelines to the letter.

Have you never had the experience where the Royal Mail doesn't bother knocking, but just shoves a card through the door?!

@BIWI

That's the only time I've been out since lockdown was announced, and actually the first time I'd been out since Christmas Eve; it was essential paperwork I had to collect.

I doubt everyone else was out and about on essential business. Why is that hard to believe?

It doesn't matter what you 'doubt'. You don't know. Stop Othering people.

"The schools may have been closed, but there are many more children going to school now than there were in the original lockdown - it's been widely reported in the papers/on the news"

Part of that may be because they've kept Early Years open.

Last time, I was able to keep DD at home: this time, it's impossible. Not only can she not work with up to 6 toddlers and babies here, but it's likely to disrupt online lessons for the other children.

So I've had to take up her keyworker place. Another keyworker child in her class is the daughter of a nursery worker, also kept at home last time. We are both very worried for our DDs, the school staff and our families.

@BIWI

Have you never had the experience where the Royal Mail doesn't bother knocking, but just shoves a card through the door?!

No. Never.

And if I was expecting essential paperwork I’d be watching for the postie every day. Since I was sitting at home not going out.

And since it takes me ages to get to the door I have a note taped to the side window of the front door to say it takes me time to get to the door please wait.

Good for you.

screamingfemale

My friends sister was a earth mother vitamins, fresh air and fresh veg believer too. He daughter then contracted measles and is now profoundly deaf. She no longer speaks to her mother because she cannot believe her mum failed to protect her from lifelong disability by getting her vaccinated.

@BIWI

Good for you.

You’re completely hypocritical.

It’s ok for ME to be out but all these OTHERS don’t have a good reason.

@BIWI

That's the only time I've been out since lockdown was announced, and actually the first time I'd been out since Christmas Eve; it was essential paperwork I had to collect.

I doubt everyone else was out and about on essential business. Why is that hard to believe?

You don’t really have a leg to stand on here.

What’s ‘Three wise men’

Thank you @itsgettingweird unfortunately many of my colleagues are suffering with their mental health at the moment.

We are used to dealing with dying patients but we are not used to dealing with the relentless situation of not being able to help, we can only watch and wait while supporting the patient as much as we can- and the sheer volumes we are seeing at the moment is overwhelming

*"If you're over 70, even if you're normally in decent health, don't expect to get prioritised for treatment if you have to come into A&E for any reason, Covid-related or otherwise"

^ As told to my 73 year old mum by her A&E consultant neighbour in London.*

A and E don't prioritise for treatment - they triage based on the medical circumstances - then treat. And they are still open, and still treating non-covid cases as well - your 70+ relative will still be triaged and treated in A and E. It was this kind of scaremongering that saw a huge rise in unnecessary deaths in wave 1.

Thanks to @nhsblue and all those in working in the nhs.