People will die because of this misinformation, this rubbish being written and shared by people. I can tell you, this pandemic is killing people round the corner from you. It is real.
Dr David Nicholl, DAUK
A doctor working in hospitals in Sandwell and Birmingham today broke down as he spoke of the desperate pressures facing frontline staff across the region – and hit out at the ‘dangerous rubbish’ spouted by those still playing down the pandemic.
Dr David Nicholl, a consultant neurologist at hospitals in the city, also spoke of his anger that people were still failing to follow basic guidance around masks and social distancing – all while NHS staff were fighting to save lives, putting in desperately long shifts and ‘running on empty’.
“People will die because of this misinformation, this rubbish being written and shared by people. I can tell you, this pandemic is killing people round the corner from you. It is real,” said Dr Nicholl.
Dr Nicholl, who has worked in Sandwell and Birmingham for nearly 20 years, spoke out in his capacity as a doctors’ representative for Doctors’ Association UK.
He said it was “more than frustrating” that he was continuing to see people ‘relaxed’ about following the guidance or downplaying its severity, while celebrity commentators spread misinformation.
I see someone highly paid like Julia Hartley-Brewer, sharing misinformed posts from her beach in Antigua, making dangerous comments – it is more than galling. These people are killing people – people will die because they believe this misinformation.
I personally find it very upsetting.
I see the impact, on our Covid wards and non Covid wards, every shift – I see how it affects people first hand; a colleague of mine is on a ventilator right now. I get really angry to read this kind of rubbish, and to see it persisting and getting traction.
The silence is leaving a vacuum – people are entitled to know what is happening. People need to know people are dying round the corner from them, and that they must follow the guidance. We are in a very difficult situation.
The new variant (of coronavirus) is a game changer – it is more transmissable and will soon overtake us. The vaccine is a fantastic development but the programme is going to take months to roll out and we need to do all we can to save lives in the meantime.”
We will get through this, we always do, but the NHS is under huge pressure. I worry so much about my colleagues – their own safety and well being is being tested to the limit.”
Dr David Nicholl, DAUK
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