Covid ward nurse urges public in NI to protect themselves from the virus

Sister Liz Moore, Belfast Trust, during a Coronavirus media briefing at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast. (Press Eye/PA)

A senior nurse who has been caring for Covid-19 patients for almost a year has urged the public to protect themselves from the virus.

Sister Liz Moore is a ward sister in the post-intensive care Covid step-down ward at the Nightingale facility at Belfast City Hospital.

She said patients in the third wave of the pandemic seem to be more ill, spend longer in intensive care and take longer to recover.

A woman wearing a face mask walks past an entrance to Belfast City Hospital (Brian Lawless/PA)

“Our youngest patient was discharged last week, he was 34, a young gentleman with no previous history and he was so ill,” she said.

“It takes weeks for them to recover, weeks and months.”

She described the patients that she cares for who come out of intensive care as very sick, and often unable to do anything for themselves, from eating, swallowing, drinking, walking and talking.

“Most of our patients have been in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and some of these patients had no underlying medical conditions,” she said.

Robin Swann (left) alongside Sister Liz Moore, Belfast Trust, during a coronavirus media briefing at Parliament Buildings (Liz Moore/PA)

Some spend up to 66 days in intensive care and still require oxygen for weeks and months, while some become unwell and have to return to intensive care.

She described the recovery as very challenging

“We must remember during this time our patients and families haven’t seen each other for a long long time, and it is such a difficult time for them all.

“The patients during this time only see us – the team, in our PPE with our masks and visors.

“It has been a tough time for everyone. We are tired but we are determined to keep going and provide care for all our patients to get through this awful time.

“This pandemic is ongoing. You may catch this virus, you may feel a bit unwell, you may lose your taste, you may lose your smell, you may have no energy.

“Or you may be one of those patients who become very unwell, and they end up in intensive care, and then come to our ward for recovery.

“We must all protect ourselves, each other, and our amazing health service. Wear a mask, wash your hands, socially distance, obey the rules and get the vaccine.”