Special Report: An Irish Nurse in the UK - ‘I don’t want to think about it too much because I feel the anger building in me’

Speaking anonymously, an Irish-born nurse describes the heartbreak of working in a London ICU, and expresses her anger at the UK government for ignoring the early warnings from Spain and Italy of how bad the pandemic was about to become

‘Emma’ describes the laborious process of donning and doffing PPE, and the heartbreak of dealing with the sickest patients. who, she says, barely recognise anyone. ‘The clapping for the NHS and the whole ‘NHS heroes’ stuff I feel is not great. There are young nurses who are losing their lives — I just want the proper equipment and better equipment, and to have a living wage.' Illustration: MJ