Easing lockdown could mean second wave of coronavirus, says top Shropshire medic
A top Shropshire doctor believes the coronavirus may have passed its peak in the county – but fears there will be a second wave if restrictions are relaxed.
Mr Rohit Singh, of the regional Covid-19 response team, said the county's hospitals had so far coped well with the epidemic.
He said the number of cases in the county appeared to have fallen over the past couple of weeks, but added that it was too early to say whether it would go up again.
Mr Singh said he feared it would come back if the restrictions were relaxed as many have been calling for.
"It's difficult to say we've reached the peak until we have gone through the whole thing, but we were busier a couple of weeks ago," he said.
"I'm hoping we're past the peak. I think the effect of the lockdown is certainly causing a drop in the number of cases."
He said Shropshire's two main hospitals, Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal in Telford, had coped well with the epidemic, and there had been no need to enact a contingency plan which would have seen patients with the virus admitted to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.
But he added: "I think it's highly probable that if they start easing the lockdown, we are going to see a second wave.
"I would not expect a second wave to be as bad as the first one, because I would think there's some sort of immunity now."
Mr Singh added that the county had suffered from none of the equipment shortages that had been reported in other hopsitals.
"We are very lucky in Shropshire, we have got good resources in terms of protective equipment, I know some of the city hospitals have found it more difficult."
Safe
Mr Singh, a trauma surgeon, was part of the team that drew up the county's plan to cope with the virus.
He said the hospitals in Telford and Shrewsbury had postponed planned surgery, with greater use being made of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen, near Oswestry.
Mr Singh said while patients with the most serious conditions would be treated in the intensive care units, isolation wards had also been created for patients who had the virus but did not need full intensive care.
He said there had been a sharp increase in the number of patients being treated for trauma injuries, which normally saw a seasonal spike at this time of year.
These patients still go through the triage process at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, but those who require surgery are now referred to Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt.
"We're seeing a lot of DIY injuries," he said.
"It would help us if people tried to stay as safe as possible, but I realise it is difficult at the moment, and that people will want to do DIY jobs.
"For many it feels like an extended bank holiday."
