There's full occupancy in Northern Ireland's NHS hospitals now - because of the constant influx of covid patients.

About 500 covid residents are now in situ - and, for the first time in history, new arrivals are being dispatched to another country.

That is - across the border to the Republic of Ireland, to Dundalk and Dublin. Growing infection rates suggest that this will continue indefinitely.

Alison wrote:
Growing infection rates suggest that this will continue indefinitely.

Happy New Year Barney!

www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2020/1231/1187063-schools-north-delay/



And getting decidedly worse - not the best UK location, to catch the virus.

BBC News - Covid: 'Nail-biting' weeks ahead for NHS, hospitals in England warn

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55505722


Getting worse and more spread out, all the time.

News bulletins are full of traumatised medics buckling under pressure.

With the virus taking over more space in hospitals daily - snd capacity already reached in some places.

Yet, surprisingly, some think it's no worse than previous years.

Oh my God, Barney, it's the end of the world!

Alison wrote:


Yet, surprisingly, some think it's no worse than previous years.

Well who knows. We are told the NHS can't cope and is on the brink of collapse this time of year every year. Who to believe?

I suspect it may be worse this year because so many hospital staff have to isolate and can't work.

This is because for the first time in history we have at vast expense gone looking for a virus in asymptomatic, perfectly healthy people.

Hey guess what; we are finding a lot!

This is actually a very odd thing to do generally.

And moronic when it comes to asymptomatic hospital staff who surely can't infect anyone behind their PPE?

And if they can then why the fuck are we banging on about the importance of everyone else wearing a flappy bit of cloth around their mouth?!

Which from the way developments in Wonderland are going currently, we will all be compelled at gunpoint to do when putting the bins out from next week...

Alison wrote:
BBC News - Covid: 'Nail-biting' weeks ahead for NHS, hospitals in England warn

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55505722


Getting worse and more spread out, all the time.

News bulletins are full of traumatised medics buckling under pressure.

With the virus taking over more space in hospitals daily - snd capacity already reached in some places.

Yet, surprisingly, some think it's no worse than previous years.

Well it is certainly true that the hospitals have been full before, and we have somehow managed. I imagine it will be much worse in the coming weeks though.

However, I cant help being really cross about this.
As you know, I work with people who are often in mental health crisis, and I REGULARLY sit in ambulances with people who have seriously attempted suicide, waiting for a bed ANYWHERE to become available, all night long, and it doesn't, and they are sent home.

Or, we sit in A&E for hours only to eventually see a mental health nurse who tells them to "distract themselves" and then they are sent home because there is nowhere for them to go.

Of course it is shocking when hospitals are full for whatever reason, or the service is crap for whatever reason.
But the horror that you and so many others are (rightly) experiencing is what some people have to accept as normal treatment, all the time.

Wyot wrote:
Alison wrote:


Yet, surprisingly, some think it's no worse than previous years.

Well who knows. We are told the NHS can't cope and is on the brink of collapse this time of year every year. Who to believe?

I suspect it may be worse this year because so many hospital staff have to isolate and can't work.

This is because for the first time in history we have at vast expense gone looking for a virus in asymptomatic, perfectly healthy people.

Hey guess what; we are finding a lot!

This is actually a very odd thing to do generally.

And moronic when it comes to asymptomatic hospital staff who surely can't infect anyone behind their PPE?

And if they can then why the fuck are we banging on about the importance of everyone else wearing a flappy bit of cloth around their mouth?!

Which from the way developments in Wonderland are going currently, we will all be compelled at gunpoint to do when putting the bins out from next week...

There are masks that would protect both the staff and patients, but they are using inferior ones instead. (mostly incorrectly)

In Wuhan their celebrations for the New Year carried on a lot of people were without masks.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/wuhan-rings...orldwide/ar-BB1coJBF

Honey wrote:
[quote]Alison wrote:


However, I cant help being really cross about this.
As you know, I work with people who are often in mental health crisis, and I REGULARLY sit in ambulances with people who have seriously attempted suicide, waiting for a bed ANYWHERE to become available, all night long, and it doesn't, and they are sent home.


I worked in mental health many moons ago Honey and have shared your frustrations. If this health problem - like Covid - was politically weaponised it would get sorted. Beds I mean; not mental health!

Not many people will be aware that since about May all prisoners who would have been released homeless have been put up in travel lodges etc so they aren't "on the streets" during a pandemic. Funded by Gov where local authorities won't take responsibility or can't fund a placement.

Some good has come from the over reaction. However the money is for a set period of time and now drying up.

Homelessness will be OK again for them soon as well.

My recent 6 months of health problems..all solved..benefited from Covid as elective surgery has been out on hold meaning doctors and nurses could concentrate on moi (and a few other lucky emergencies),

Covid patients were kept in a separate ward so never got to see how serious it was.

twitter.com/SohrabAhmari/status/1345387539805446146/photo/1