Episode Synopsis "Ep 003: A Medical Doctor's Experience - The First Wave in London, Experiencing the Epidemic Surge and Vaccine Optimism"

When dealing with the inevitable frustrations of social distancing measures, it is easy to lose sight of how well the epidemic has been managed in our densely populated city. COVID-19 is a mild disease in the majority of circumstances, but it has the potential to overwhelm health systems because of a potentially rapid increase in the numbers of infected patients. Avoiding excessive strain on the hospital system is one of the main goals of the public health controls.In this episode, OT&P talks to a Hong Kong doctor who has spent the last year working as a front line emergency doctor in London. He discusses his personal experience of the first wave, an intensive care unit working at triple its normal capacity and the impact of being called upon to ventilate fellow healthcare workers including colleagues and friends. More recently ambulances take up to 6 hours to offload patients as the hospital strains under the stress of the epidemic surge. Ultimately though, he remains positive, both about the arrival of vaccines and that, although under strain, the system is, and will continue, to cope.

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More episodes of the podcast OT&P Healthcare Podcast

• Ep 018: Article Narration - What next for China? Lessons from the Covid response in Hong Kong and Singapore
• Ep 017: The Evolving Sixth Wave, the Evidence for Vaccines and Masks, Long Covid in Hong Kong and Possible Lessons from the 1889 Russian Flu Pandemic
• Ep 016: The Omicron BA.2 Wave, the Surge in Population Mortality and the Future for a Population at Herd Immunity
• Ep 015: The Fifth Wave, Your Questions Answered
• Ep 014: Zero Covid, the Fifth Wave and Is It Time for a Plan B?
• Ep 013: Omicron and the Role of Vaccine Mandates
• Ep 012: Zero Covid, 21-Day Quarantine and Vaccinating Children
• Ep 011: Zero Covid or Living with Covid, what is the exit strategy?
• Ep 010: International Covid Strategies, the Exit Wave and Booster Vaccines
• Ep 009: Reduced Quarantine for Antibody Positive Vaccinated Individuals
• Ep 008: Gira Patel - The Psychological and Social Impact of the Pandemic
• Ep 007: Is Zero COVID a Sustainable Strategy in Hong Kong?
• Ep 006: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Hong Kong, Contributing Factors and Next Steps
• Ep 005: The Rationale and Impact of Targeted Quarantine Measures, the Effectiveness of Vaccines and the Challenges of Vaccine Hesitancy
• Ep 004: COVID-19: How Does Hong Kong Return to Normal? The Role of COVID-19 Vaccines
• Ep 003: A Medical Doctor's Experience - The First Wave in London, Experiencing the Epidemic Surge and Vaccine Optimism
• Ep 002: COVID-19: Hong Kong's Fourth Wave, New Viral Mutations and Outlook for Immunization
• Ep 001: Professor Ben Cowling - Transmission of COVID-19, Closing Schools and the Balance of Public Health Measures