Working on front-line in fight on coronavirus
A Tonbridge father who has been working as an emergency ambulance crew member in the capital during the coronavirus crisis says he fears a second wave.
Thomas Denning, who, as part of his job, assesses whether people’s Covid-19 symptoms are life-threatening and then rushes them to hospital, says the city was like a ghost town at the height of the pandemic.
Many in Mr Denning’s shoes would be afraid for their own safety, but despite regular, close contact with people displaying virus symptoms, the former Hugh Christie pupil, 34, is more concerned about his mum and sister, who work in supermarkets, as they do not have PPE. Calls to the London Ambulance Service (LAS) grew from around 5,000 a day, to a peak of more than 11,000 by the end of March, with unprecedented demands placed on the service. Mr Denning, who has been with the LAS for three years, saw for himself the “massive surge” in calls.
Extensive PPE, such as masks and goggles were given to Mr Denning and his colleagues. He said: “At the stage where it all started I just got on with it, I didn’t really think about catching it myself.
“There was a feeling of trying to keep patient contact to a minimum. I did find it difficult when the Prime Minister fell ill. I thought ‘if it can happen to him it can happen to anyone’, especially doing our job.
“We had both sides of the spectrum, there were people who displayed mild symptoms and were worried about the worst situation, or there could be people with life-threatening symptoms. “Explaining to relatives that they couldn’t travel in the ambulance with their loved one, or visit in hospital, was hard. “I know I wouldn’t like to be told that,” the father-of-one said. The country is slowly returning to normal, but Mr Denning warns the threat “isn’t over”. “There’s still a potential for a second outbreak,” he said. “When the pandemic was at its worst it was easier to deal with because people understood but it’s harder recently, the regulations are still in place but people don’t understand that.”