Coronavirus: Hospital staff prepare for possible second wave
Staff at a north Wales hospital have appealed to patients and visitors to "carry on listening and keeping to the the guidelines" as they prepare for a possible second wave of Covid-19.
The latest figures show Betsi Cadwaladr health board has seen a spike in deaths compared to other health boards.
But staff at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor said some people "seem to think the pandemic is over".
The health board said it was slowly resuming normal services for patients.
It has seen a high number of cases in Wrexham, which had the highest weekly number of coronavirus-related deaths.
Interim chief executive Simon Dean said the health board was "well prepared for an increase in cases", having increased bed capacity in hospitals, recruiting staff and established the three Ysbyty Enfys field hospitals.
Patients needing urgent care were given priority, despite the effect the pandemic has had on services, he added.
"We have prioritised our waiting lists to ensure access for patients to treatment according to clinical priorities."
'They seem to think it's over - we know it is not'
At Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital, receptionist Carol Ann Jones said there had been a "mixture of feelings and responses" from patients and visitors.
"Some are still nervous and a little afraid... perhaps too afraid. Others are a little too confident and seem to think the pandemic is over and we know it is not," she said.
Nursing director Mandy Jones said these have been challenging times for her team: "At the moment we have learned a lot from the first wave.
"I am confident that we have prepared as much as we can. I have never seen anything like this in my career. I don't think anyone has seen anything like it.
"It has been like a huge wave of emotion, and we as staff are really grateful to people for that. It's also been incredible how the health board has brought in equipment, changed things, and set up Ysbyty Enfys."
'Fear of the unknown'
Matron Sandra Robinson-Clark works in intensive care and has been dealing with the pandemic for months.
"There was fear of the unknown at the beginning. But the team had seen what was happening across the world, so we had an idea of what we faced. The important thing was to make sure we were prepared," she said.
"There was a lot of training. And we also had to prepare as regards ensuring there were extra items of equipment available such as ventilators.
"It was also important to prepare the staff who were dealing with the pandemic and looking after their well-being as regards to stress and emotions."
