Today, I remember the ones who have left us this week – selfless individuals risking their lives in the front line and their loved ones to save people and tackle this pandemic .

I am a nurse. I cry for the families they have left behind, I cry for the goodbyes that never happened, I cry for the children who will miss to see their mum or dad or grandparents. I cry for the families who cannot attend the funerals. I cry for the deep hole this silent killer is creating in our societies. The tears, the sleepless nights, the pain it is causing all of us!

Please remember to be kind, tell people you love them, hug them when you can or virtually. One of my friends wrote a post this week and she mentioned about encouraging her husband to write a will – very essential I talked about it once in my ‘Unspoken words’ blog. We don’t know what is round the corner.

No one can take the fear we have in our hearts, the anxieties we hold. The battle seems long – it is hard and difficult. I cannot help admire the dedication, bravery of all front line workers and keyworkers my colleagues, my friends. I follow many health care workers forums and Covid-19 has sparked so many conversations – caused uncertainty, trauma and the fear of the unknown.

These are extraordinary times for all of us – we are tackling a global catostrophe ‘Corona virus’ . I suppose I can’t help to keep mentioning the unavailability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the need for Covid-19 testing for NHS workers and social care sector in my blogs. PPE is absolutely vital to the protection of workers who are providing essential care. Staff working in the frontline are in fear for themselves and for their families at home. At times, in the community it is the fear of contaminating the car after a visit, we are aware this virus can stay in clothes for several hours. Some people have chosen to live in separate rooms or accommodation because of the risk of exposure to their loved ones.

We also need to keep track of the numbers of nurses and all other professionals who die helping with the pandemic and remember and acknowledge them equally. It was a bit disheartening when the UK Health minister Matt Hancock was not able to give figures of nurses and said ‘some nurses’ who had died on BBC Question time on Thursday night. Let us remember them and light candles 🕯 .

I am scared and have my own worries about my redeployment, but I will do my best while on duty. According to the mathematical modelling of COVID-19 crisis, the next 2 weeks are projected to be the ‘peak’ time (when the number of deaths get to 1000 a day). Please play your part, by observing social distancing and staying at home. I hope society will show restraint in spite of the weather forecast showing warm ☀ days ahead!

The latest neuroscience research suggests that American scientists are getting closer to reading minds and have developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can turn brain activity into text. How I wish it was there to read our minds 🧠 during this crisis!

Lest we forget, diversity and inclusion in health care in this time of crisis. This graph shows disparities and inequalities in the structure of the UK health care system – the National Health Service (NHS). The vast majority of people who serve on the front line are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. Interestingly, as the bands get to the senior leadership roles the BAME representation starts dropping. Recently I read Yvonne Coghill’s blog on ‘Community , Colour and the Corona virus’. Yvonne is the Director of Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES). It reminded me whose ‘hands are on the deck’ and how much more needs to done to include everyone at the table and reflect diversity of the healthcare workforce – even in the discussions on the TV or who is who in the NHS Nightingale hospitals.

• 

It is a weird time, I can’t sleep, I have trouble with insomnia at times even my sleep spray did not work last night!I kept writing this blog in the middle of the night till dawn. Thank goodness for technology – I can write my blogs and do everything on my Huawei phone 📱before clicking Publish ✅ .

• 

We have so much to be grateful for – let us look after each other. It is important for keyworkers to talk and also look after their own – wellbeing. Leaders, please listen to the cries of the people on the front line. Be kind, We are in this together, and together we will overcome this crisis. ❤️🕯️