Lymington hospital 'better prepared' for rise in coronavirus cases this lockdown

LYMINGTON hospital is better prepared to fight any sharp rise in coronavirus cases this lockdown, a senior medic has pledged.

Not only do medics have a much greater knowledge of Covid-19, but the Ampress-based hospital also has plentiful stocks of a drug that has been discovered to curb its effects in certain patients.

“We have made the hospital as safe as possible,” said Dr Rachel Anderson, clinical lead of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital.

“We are not seeing people get it in a healthcare setting, so do not feel nervous – if you need to come in and see us, please do that.

“Otherwise please lock down so that we can get on top of this and get better and get back to normal. It’s four weeks, so get your head down and stay inside.”

She added: “Use your exercise time, keep yourself connected virtually with people and keep in contact with your neighbours. We can beat it. If you do it properly, you will really support us.”

In an interview with the A&T, respiratory consultant Dr Anderson confirmed Lymington New Forest Hospital is currently treating five patients who have tested positive for coronavirus.

But she knew of rising local Covid rates, and said: “It feels very similar to March and April.

“We currently have five Covid positive patients, which is a drop from last week when it was seven and since two were able to leave from the hospital all well and good.

“We can definitely feel there is more coming. We are getting presentments of the type of patients that may well have it, hearing of more things and know of more people who are getting it.”

However, Dr Anderson was keen to stress the outlook was much brighter ahead of the second lockdown compared to the first, thanks to more knowledge of the virus and the drug Dexamethasone, which has been proven to reduce mortality rates of those suffering Covid-19 and needing ventilators in hospital settings.

Dr Anderson added: “We can also recognise Covid-19 much better, treat it better, we know what it looks like and also how it can cause effects in certain patients – such as there was an issue around blood clotting, which we now know how to prevent.”

Mental health services were “very busy”, Dr Anderson said, adding it was “hugely important” people looked after their mental health.

Asked for her tips on the lockdown, Dr Anderson said people needed to self-isolate effectively and get regular exercise.

“I think it’s really important we all do one or two things to make this go away. The first is to self-isolate, as following the rules will make a massive difference.

“Two, people need to keep exercising. We really saw quite a lot of deconditioning for people in the first wave. People or patients were not getting out and about in the beginning of this when we knew little about it – but exercising out on your own is really safe and has been proven so.”

Dr Anderson welcomed the announcement of the second lockdown, explaining: “Personally I am relatively glad to have a chance to stop and reset.

“That’s because even here in the New Forest, which is probably among the best places in the country for low rates, it feels like this is a good time to try and reset before the worst of the winter.”

As to whether it had come too late, Dr Anderson said: “From a medical point of view it probably could have come sooner but from an economic point it’s a hugely difficult call – in the end we have to live with the decisions that are made.

“I have to say the public have been amazing.

“We’ve made many changes at the hospital because they became necessary – such as making people book for blood test appointments – and they’ve just got on with it.”

The hospital will be maintaining its other clinics – such as endoscopy and cardio – as well as blood test and X-ray bookings and conducting appointments either face to face, virtually or over the phone.