Heatwave and Covid surge ‘a nightmare’ for health workers, doctor says
16.07.2022 - 13:47
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
An NHS doctor has warned that the heatwave and the surge in cases of Covid-19 in England are resulting in a “nightmare” for health workers. Dr Claire Bronze, 38, who is an A&E consultant in London, said she is worried about the effect the hot weather will have on patients and staff.
She told the PA news agency: “In some places there are people waiting in A&E for up to two days at a time for a bed in the hospital. There are ambulances queuing to get in; we’ve seen a lot of Covid cases again, and then there’s the heat.
“There’s all these things happening that are just a bit of a nightmare and we’re worried about how it is going to affect patients and staff.” On Friday the Met Office warned that lives could be at risk as it is likely that a record UK temperature could be set early next week.
READ MORE:Government to hold emergency Cobra meeting over extreme heatwave
The Met Office red warning, for Monday and Tuesday, covers an area from London up to Manchester and the Vale of York. The public have been warned to watch out for sunburn and heat exhaustion, with changes in working practices and daily routines recommended.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 infections in the UK have jumped by nearly 800,000 in a week, with some parts of the country nearing the record levels seen during the spring. Dr Bronze said: “A lot of hospital buildings are very old, particularly in London, and many don’t have air conditioning and windows that don’t open – so they are extremely hot.
“Some staff still have to wear PPE – so plastic gowns, masks, gloves – on top of their normal uniform which, as you can imagine, means people are quickly going to get very hot and dehydrated. “Staff are struggling to go for breaks because it’s so busy, then to add to that