The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
JANE LIVINGSTONE, 57, IS SUPERVISOR IN NINEWELLS’ LAUNDRY DEPARTMENT.
“We clean and process all the laundry across NHS Tayside. Infection control is a huge part of the job so we’re always very aware of that. We have clean areas and dirty areas and wear PPE in the appropriate areas.
“Where we’ve seen an increase in workload because of Covid is in more scrubs, for doctors and nurses, and in bedding. We’re issuing a lot more uniforms.
“When the pandemic first started and people were panic-buying, some of our colleagues went to the supermarket at the end of their shift and were met with empty shelves. Thankfully things have settled down now. Supermarkets have been great, with a lot of them doing opening times specifically for NHS workers.”
DEAN WILSON, 29, IS A JOINER FOR HILLCREST MAINTENANCE, WHICH LOOKS AFTER HILLCREST HOUSING’S MORE THAN 6,000 PROPERTIES.
“We’re only working on empty properties or doing emergency work, like if a tenant has locked themselves out. Something like 70% of the maintenance staff have been furloughed.
“We’re down to five joiners, five plumbers and five electricians. I’m working two days a week and on call for the rest of the time.
“We cover a huge area – the other day I was in Cupar, Auchterarder, Perth and Dundee.
“The company has been really good with us.
“We have all the PPE we need, hand sanitiser and wipes in the van.
“There’s a manager we can call if we need anything. If a tenant is coughing we carry out a risk assessment and if we don’t feel it’s safe we don’t go in.
“I’ve been working for Hillcrest for seven years and we’re a tight-knit group who support each other.”
TOM FARDON, 44, IS A RESPIRATORY CONSULTANT AT NINEWELLS HOSPITAL. HIS FACEBOOK POSTS ON COVID-19 HAVE BECOME ESSENTIAL READING, WITH MANY OF THEM BEING SHARED THOUSANDS OF TIMES.
“I wrote the first Facebook post because friends were worried about Covid and didn’t have a good source of information.
“The posts started being shared and now a lot of people read them.
“These measures are unprecedented in our lifetime and lockdown is a big ask for people.
“I think having someone local who they can trust to give an honest appraisal of what’s going on without being sensationalist is reassuring.
“I’m not long back at work after contracting Covid myself.
“For the first week symptoms were very mild but for reasons we don’t yet understand there’s often a second wave of the virus.
“From day seven and eight I had a much harder time of it with a very severe headache, tiredness, muscle pain, sore throat and a cough.
“I was due to run the Boston Marathon on April 20 so I’m in pretty good shape. It’s important to stress that if you’re in your 30s or 40s your chances of dying from Covid are very low indeed. However, it’s still a very unpleasant thing to go through.
“I’m pleased there is a focus on what key workers are doing through this. “Key workers are not just the NHS. “They’re bus drivers, council workers, supermarket workers, joiners, plumbers, cleaners, carers and so on.
“We often don’t appreciate how important they are to our lives.
“Covid has made us realise how vital these people are to keeping things going.
“It’s a huge team effort of people who are often under-recognised.”