CORONAVIRUS UPDATE THREAD:

1/ expect each week from now to be overwhelming. the patients are presenting sicker, and ventilators are being used up across the board.

2/ minute's applause - an excellent gesture that everyone in hospital really appreciated.

3/ care packages. those with young families, single parents etc have really appreciated these. snacks, lunchboxes & juices are amazing. huge morale boosts!

4/ the ventilator shortage is real. the ITU nurse shortage is even realer.

5/ PPE massively variable + still inadequate. we're doctors & nurses, and we are super-spreaders.

6/ every doctor + nurse that dies of coronavirus is a victim of govt negligence. we're exposed to high viral loads and PPE that exists is adequate for a child playing with playdoh.

7/ last week govt promised supplies of PPE were "adequate." so why have we seen a fetish website asked for their scrubs?! why was my local school asked to give us their science goggles?!

8/ Germany has led way in Europe. it just requires political will: PPE and testing.

9/ boris johnson and matt hancock getting tested - if in doubt, we now know that the govt don't care about us. optics of it are terrible. it has made us furious.

10/ assume every patient has coronavirus. don't wait until it's too late - wear a surgical mask for all patients.

11/ reusing masks. it's a stupid idea, it will spread infection and will prolong the pandemic

12/ my ITU colleagues bear a haunted look when i ask "how is it up there?" please support them as they make the toughest calls of their lives.