How the second wave has unfolded at Salisbury hospital

As a direct result of lockdown restrictions, fewer patients are being admitted into hospital due to coronavirus.

This means that the number of Covid deaths is also on the decline.

As the battle against the virus eases off, we look back at how the second wave unfolded in the city's hospital.

More hospital news:

• Salisbury hospital Covid backlog 'will take time to clear'
• Matron looks back on one year since first Covid case
• Two more Covid patients die at Salisbury hospital

December

Coronavirus cases at the Odstock site began to rise rapidly after Christmas due to more infectious variants, such as the one discovered in the South East, which at the time were spreading out of control.

On December 28, the hospital revealed that the number of coronavirus patients cared for on site was as high as it was during the first peak of the pandemic.

That day, 44 positive inpatients were on site - double the figure from the previous week.

Dr Peter Collins, Medical Director, said staff were under "intense pressure" and urged members of the public to visit only if essential.

A few days later, visiting was suspended due to the ever-rising number of Covid patients which by December 31 had reached 54.

January

At the start of 2021, the hospital was experiencing daily increases in Covid patients.

Sadly, as a direct result, deaths were also being reported almost every day.

By mid to late January, when the second wave is estimated to have peaked, 188 positive patients were being cared for.

That's more than four times the number of the first wave.

To cope with the constant rise in Covid-related admissions, the Day Surgery Unit was turned into ward space.

The gym inside the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Centre was also being prepared "to be used for further bed space if needed", the hospital confirmed in a statement.

February 

Although admissions started to slow down, deaths continued to be recorded and on February 26, the hospital reached the "sad and sobering milestone" of 200 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Stacey Hunter, Chief Executive of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, provided an update on the situation to continue to urge residents to play their part.

In it, she said that the number of positive patients had begun to fall but it was still higher than in April 2020.

"Staff across the whole NHS and in partner agencies are all feeling pretty exhausted," she said. 

"And here at Salisbury Hospital it is no different, we remain under pressure."

Nonetheless, there were signs that the situation was improving.

Staffing levels were getting better and areas such as the Day Surgery Unit were going back to their primary purpose.

March 

The decline in Covid deaths and admissions became more clear at the start of this month.

Thanks to the impact of lockdown and the success of the vaccine rollout, medics say the battle against Covid is getting "easier".

As of today, March 12, eight positive patients are being cared for onsite - down from 188 at the peak.

In the past two days, no deaths linked to Covid-19 have been reported.

But as staff begin to tackle the backlog created by the pandemic, big challenges are on the horizon.

Members of the public are again being asked to stick to the rules and take up the vaccine when they are offered it.

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