An intensive care unit nurse has tearfully spoken out about the hours she's spent 'zipping up body bags' in a bid to urge the public to follow lockdown rules.
Ameera Sheikh, 28, says she's unable to sleep because of nightmares and has lost friends and colleagues to the coronavirus.
After zipping up the body bag of her fourth patient in just two days, the ICU nurse told the Mirror: "Please don't break the rules.
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"I have worked overseas in less developed countries where they don't have the resources like we do and what is going on right now reminds me of those experiences."
Ameera has worked for the NHS for 12 years and says she's had to remain professional despite knowing people she's caring for have broken the rules.
She said: "As healthcare workers we have to suspend judgement. Some people are very lucky not to have experienced Covid.
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"They need to realise the world doesn't revolve around them. Other people are living in this world too and many have died because people chose not to wear a mask or wanted to hang out with their pals.
"Others admit to flouting the laws and are apologetic, while others don't care. They have maybe lost their jobs or feel isolated and therefore don't trust anything the Government says. Some are very sick but deny they have Covid at all."
When it comes to anti-lockdown groups, Ameera says: "They don't have any medical qualifications yet feel it's OK to make unfounded comments.
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"When will they realise what's really going on? Will it be when they lose someone they love? We can have a day where patients are dying all day long and you are having to quickly wash them and zip up a body bag.
"None of the people from anti-lockdown groups will ever zip up a body bag in their lives."
She added: "It's hard to find the time as well when you get WhatsApp messages asking, 'Can you come back into work, we need everyone we can get'."
In the UK yesterday (9 January), the overall coronavirus death toll hit 80,000 with a further 1,035 people dying as the country saw the worst Saturday since the first wave in April 2020.
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A total of 59,937 tested positive for the deadly virus and the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) predicted that 150,000 people are getting infected everyday.
Topics: UK News, News, Coronavirus, UK