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Original poster

How many are catching covid in hospital?

75 replies

lynsey91 · 03/02/2021 13:16

It seems Sir Tom most likely caught covid in hospital. My dad definitely caught it in hospital although they sent him home with a negative test.

He died 4 days later and my mum who obviously caught it from him died 2 weeks after him. This was last month.

Considering hospitals are not allowing visitors - even though my mum basically went in to die we were not allowed to visit - and staff are wearing ppe and the cleaning should be even more stringent than it was before just why and how are so many people catching it there?

My family spent from March 2020 until January 2021 keeping my parents safe. They had not been out of the house once and then dad got admitted to hospital. Mum was not allowed to visit so she did not go out even once in that time.

My sister got their shopping every week and left it on their doorstop. I live quite a distance away and would normally visit every 3 weeks. I visited twice between March and December and wore a mask both times and kept a distance.

I now feel why did we bother. No hugs in almost a year, no visits etc and all for nothing.

The annoying thing is dad was taken in for something the paramedic thought was wrong with him but there was nothing wrong. I don't blame the paramedic at all but am angry at the hospital.

Me and my siblings were really worried about covid when dad was admitted to hospital and sadly it turns out we were right to be. Hospitals do not seem to be safe places to be at present.

OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 03/02/2021 13:18

Gosh I’m so sorry, what a sad sad situation.

Thinking of you and your family.

My friend works in an ICU and says how quickly it is spreading in hospital. But then I read a sad sad story of someone who was too scared in a&e of covid and didn’t wait for treatment and then died at home having not sought treatment.

RosesAndLemonade · 03/02/2021 13:20

Im so sorry for your losses OP.
I am in hospital at the moment, not for covid, and it all feels very safe and clean. This said my consultant this morning had said that he doesn't want me here for too long as covid does spread onto non covid wards (although I've already had it so not worried ). So whilst I do feel safe and have felt safe in all wards in this hospital (it's a literal split down the middle into red and green side ) it obviously is an issue if it was mentioned.

DinosaurDiana · 03/02/2021 13:22

One person I know caught it in hospital and died.
The other, his wife brought it back from hospital to him, and he died.

Ffsnosexallowed · 03/02/2021 13:23

Now that vaccination is almost complete for front facing healthcare workers I think hospitals are likely to become safer places. There's no doubt that a couple of weeks ago the virus was spreading in hospitals

Comefromaway · 03/02/2021 13:23

I know several people who caught it in hospital.

FizzyPepsi · 03/02/2021 13:27

Too many people are catching COVID in hospital is the answer. I've no idea why this isn't receiving more coverage.

This isn't the first time the NHS has failed to have appropriate infection control procedures in place. But god forbid we criticise 'our NHS' Hmm.

TheDailyCarbunkle · 03/02/2021 13:27

Hospitals are always sites of infection spread - norovirus, flu, MRSA, c.difficile. It surprises me that people don't realise that hospitals are one of the main sources of covid infection, but then I suppose it makes sense not to emphasise that fact in case it puts people off getting treatment.

Jrobhatch29 · 03/02/2021 13:29

Sorry to hear your news OP. My DMs neighbour caught it on the maternity ward after having her baby.
Having said that, my GM is a dialysis patient and is at the hospital every other day and has done throughout, and has managed to avoid it. She was admitted to hospital for a few days 2 weeks ago for an emergency operation (a few days after having her covid jab) and has so far been fine. I don't think it is inevitable!

TheDailyCarbunkle · 03/02/2021 13:30

@FizzyPepsi

Too many people are catching COVID in hospital is the answer. I've no idea why this isn't receiving more coverage.

This isn't the first time the NHS has failed to have appropriate infection control procedures in place. But god forbid we criticise 'our NHS' Hmm.

I can understand this attitude to an extent but realistically it is almost impossible to have anything more than minimal control over the spread of infection in a hospital. Covid is highly contagious and has very inconsistent symptoms which adds massively to the problem. Healthcare staff simply have to move between patients and they have to touch and engage with them. There is a very hard limit to the extent to which they can avoid passing on infection. People seem to have forgotten that getting infection and passing it on is a fact of being human, rather than a huge moral failing brought about by some flaw in the person themselves.
LIZS · 03/02/2021 13:31

Know of at least 2 who have caught it in hospital. However given that up to 1:10 have it, at least 1/3 of those asymptomatically , it is inevitable that a few of those on or working in wards (doctors, nurses, physios, therapists, auxiliaries, cleaners etc) may be potentially transmitting it at any time.

PrivateHall · 03/02/2021 13:32

Yes this virus will spread everywhere, unfortunately PPE etc can only do so much to protect us. I am very careful but still caught covid from a patient and became very unwell. Obviously I didn't know I had it until I had symptoms so despite PPE, there was a risk I could have passed it on the day before and morning before my symptoms presented. We wear the same paper masks that the public have access to, they do not offer 100% protection unfortunately. There absolutely is a risk of infection in hospitals for both staff and patients, this has always been the case sadly. Remember, it is air born, handwashing only gets us so far.

hamstersarse · 03/02/2021 13:36

1 in 4 cases are caught in hospital....and they are still rising. it really isn't talked about enough and instead we harp on about the man at Tesco's who wasn't wearing a mask. In the carpark.

www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safety/covid-infections-caught-in-hospital-rise-by-a-third-in-one-week/7029211.article

hamstersarse · 03/02/2021 13:37

This is the more up to date version of the article

www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safety/covid-infections-caught-in-hospital-up-by-half-in-a-week/7029320.article

Gastropod · 03/02/2021 13:37

People seem to have forgotten that getting infection and passing it on is a fact of being human, rather than a huge moral failing brought about by some flaw in the person themselves.

@TheDailyCarbunkle this is one of the wisest and truest things I've read on any Covid thread.

My father died from complications brought on by an MRSA infection he picked up in hospital (many years ago now). I certainly wouldn't blame the person (presuming it was a person) who passed it on to him, or indeed the hospital itself (there were no indications of poor hygiene or bad practices).

SoCrimeaRiver · 03/02/2021 13:40

I thought he caught it at home, and only went into hospital at a later date when he needed help with his breathing.

I guess there will always be a pool of asymptomatic people who spread it until you test them. My mum's in hospital now (day 8, not covid related) and has been tested twice and is on a covid free ward and feel it is safe and clean (obv. we can't visit to verify any of this but she's happy enough with it). It's a w arm enclosed space with immobile people with compromised immune systems / otherwise run down, so I guess it would spread once it got in, same as in care homes.

ShouldIgonow · 03/02/2021 13:40

My cousin just had a baby and caught covid in hospital

Ffsnosexallowed · 03/02/2021 13:42

@FizzyPepsi

Too many people are catching COVID in hospital is the answer. I've no idea why this isn't receiving more coverage.

This isn't the first time the NHS has failed to have appropriate infection control procedures in place. But god forbid we criticise 'our NHS' Hmm.

Don't be ridiculous. The nhs is doing all it can re infection control. The only way to stop it would be to close the hospitals.
VanGoghsDog · 03/02/2021 13:43

I have a form for a blood test, same hospital as Captain Sir Tom, but I'm not going to go until end Feb when hopefully people's vaccinations will be kicking in more.

It's in a separate building but even so.

My friend's dad caught it in hospital and it's looking like he won't make it now. Just have to hope his mum doesn't get it too, she's had one negative test so fingers crossed.

NapCracklePop · 03/02/2021 13:44

My friend is a nurse. She had covid but because she was wearing a flimsy paper mask the patients she had been treating (physical contact) whilst contagious werent even informed. Her colleagues didn't have to isolate. No wonder it's spreading, it's the same as in schools, normal track and trace doesn't apply.

NapCracklePop · 03/02/2021 13:45

I'm so sorry for your loss OP Flowers

HSHorror · 03/02/2021 13:45

That is so sad op.
My parents are 70+ so it is a lot of worry.

With captn tom though even if he didnt catch covid on holiday possibly he did catch the virus leading to the pneumonia. And at his age he likely would have had a vax if he had stayed here over xmas. I dont think he was wrong for him though.

I do feel uk hospitals need an overhaul i mean we dont seem to ever build new ones. Wards are really not suitable for this century. Maternity care was frankly 1/10. If covid and other viruses will stay we need proper quarantine units. As seen in i think singapore where the woman was in a room sealed without even her own belongings.
How many elderly die due to - hospitals, planes and cruises etc.

HSHorror · 03/02/2021 13:48

We shouldnt be sending patients back to their house with other elderly.

lightand · 03/02/2021 13:49

@NapCracklePop My friend is a nurse. She had covid but because she was wearing a flimsy paper mask the patients she had been treating (physical contact) whilst contagious werent even informed

eh?
you mean the nurse carried on working, when she knew she had covid??

Surely that is not standard procedure. And not standard procedure either, to not inform patients??

Or am I totally misunderstanding your post?

Comefromaway · 03/02/2021 13:51

I assume she meant the patients she’d treated in the 48 hours prior to her testing positive/developing symptoms, were not informed.

LDpuppy · 03/02/2021 13:52

@HSHorror

We shouldnt be sending patients back to their house with other elderly.
So where should they be discharged to??? And how would you stop them??