It supposed to start in September and here we are on the last days of November, yet I still have to look after a patient who have been positive of this so called CoViD19, symptomatic or otherwise since July. Having shifts alternately between 2 of our wards, catering to patients with emergency heart problems and as a stepdown of ITU who are non-surgical, in my experience these past months, I have had none. Although one of our junior doctors personally told me that one of our wards have had 2 positives in the last 3 weeks.
In the middle of the pandemic, these 2 patients were asymptomatic and were sent home.
I can only based this now to how many patients were admitted during the first wave in March who were symptomatic with respiratory issues needing ITU admissions and the stepdown patients. If overwhelmed is the word, our hospital was then, to the point of re-structuring the whole floors, our Coronary Care Unit transformed, becoming an intensive care unit.
On this second wave, yes we were prepared. But what we are seeing is far from that first wave. I can only say what's happening in our hospital in London, other hospitals or other places might just be different. The expectations that this time will be worse didn't happen though that's for sure. At least for now. The coming winter might just show something differently. Or perhaps not. I guess we will just have to wait and see.
I can only write what I see in our workplace. What's happening in other places of London or cities in the UK might just be different hence the ongoing lockdown in the country.