Following riots over the killing of george floyd. A Police Officer sacked for his death has been charged with murder. Clashes have also taken place between demonstrators and police in boston and atlanta. President trump has called on people to obey the law. Brazil has reported nearly 27,000 cases of covid 19 in the past 2a hours a new daily record. Its now surpassed spain in the total number of virus deaths, with the fifth highest figure in the world. President Jair Bolsonaro says the spread of the virus is inevitable and the economy should be reopened immediately. The uk government has announced changes to the scheme that covers the wages of furloughed workers affected by the coronavirus lockdown businesses will have to start paying contributions, from august. Wales first minister has announced plans
for relaxing restrictions there. Hywel griffith reports from cardiff. Too fast or too slow . The journey out of lockdown can feel exhausting. From monday, louise and her family will be able to meet relatives here in pontypridd with no limit on the head count, but they cant travel more than five miles, so family in the midlands will have to wait. I think theyre making changes according to peoples behaviour. As we can see, people are getting lockdown fatigue and i think people are breaking the rules and being maybe irresponsible, so i think it kind of makes sense in a way to be pragmatic. The changes in wales are meant to depend on data rather than a set of dates. The number of new coronavirus cases has gone down, but the rate at which the virus is spreading hasnt. Staying local and not sharing facilities with other people
we think remain sensible, precautionary steps when the r rate in wales is no better today than it was three weeks ago. Shops have been told they may be able to reopen in three weeks, but some feel left in the dark. Sian has several businesses here. She is anxious for pontypridd to recover after flooding earlier this year, but shes frustrated. I think the longer we are dragging ourfeet and were not given any kind of clarity, its going to harm. Its going to harm businesses, its going to harm peoples mental health. We are behind and its causing issues. The welsh approach is unapologetically cautious. No plans have been announced for schools, as change comes one step at a time. Hywel griffith, bbc news, pontypridd. Now on bbc news our world. New york has been the epicentre of americas coronavirus outbreak, with nearly 30,000 deaths in the state so far. As the virus took hold in march, doctors and nurses
from across the us answered new yorks call for help. This is the story of four of those on the frontline, told through their video diaries as the crisis unfolds. A warning this programme contains scenes some viewers may find may find distressing. New york city has been the global epicentre of coronavirus. The president said this is a war, i agree with that. This is a war. People have died here than in any other city in the world. There has been times when i have walked out of the er and said to myself, what in the er and said to myself, what in the world has just happened . The er and said to myself, what in the world hasjust happened . Things got so bad that the governor of new york pleaded for help. Got so bad that the governor of new york pleaded for helplj got so bad that the governor of new york pleaded for help. I am asking Healthcare Professionals across the country, please, come help us in new york now. This is the story of some
of the nurses who answered the call. And the besieged new york doctors fighting to stop their city being overwhelmed. I saw the row of ambulance stretches waiting to be triaged and empathy to myself, were losing, were losing. Come here come here. I come here come here. Lam Christina Ferguson and in a week, i will be heading out to new york to help in the bronx at one of their hospitals. Im travelling with a coworker of mine and having the skills, critical ca re mine and having the skills, Critical Care for me, er for him. We decided lets do it this is the first time i have ever gone on an assignment such as this. It is a little bit different going into the epicentre ofa different going into the epicentre of a pandemic. This is one of my
suitcases. I was therefore september 11 so naturally it feels like i should go back. To be a part of this and to help out in any way i can stop i have seven bags, there is the insta pot. I was thinking about some of the things i was backing up. As a nurse, this is we went to school for. This is what we do. Going to new york for the sole crisis is basically like that, its like throwing yourself into this situation. You dont think twice about it, youre just going. Situation. You dont think twice about it, yourejust going. Here situation. You dont think twice about it, youre just going. Here we are at our favourite lake, my daughter and i do a lot of out your staff, and it is something really going to miss. But i would like to ta ke going to miss. But i would like to take these moments to think about the things i can come back to. Take these moments to think about the things i can come back tolj take these moments to think about the things i can come back to. I do have my trunk packed, all of the medical supplies that we were donated to, ready to hit the road. So today has come, it is a five hour drive, and reality is sinking in that we are on our way. Drive, and reality is sinking in that we are on our waylj drive, and reality is sinking in that we are on our way. I have my Sleeping Beauty and her best friend. I have some conflict about bringing her along but i dont want fear to steer me away from what i want to do and men who have had many conversations. We willjust take it one day at a time. Some gorgeous views, its kind of serene all of the same time knowing that once you get out of these mountains and into the city, there is no telling what is going to be waiting there for us. There is always some fear going into such a traumatic environment but the moment i walked into the er, its go
time. 0n on march the 13th, new york city recorded its first covid i9 at f. Im not sure how big this can be. Within a month, or had died from the virus than at 9 11. I never really ever imagined in my life i would see the density of human suffering stop we will never think about healthcare in the same way. New yorker doctor eric is working at an emergency covert hospital that has been set up on staten island. An emergency covert hospital that has been set up on staten islandlj go has been set up on staten island. go to people that i dont remember the days of the week anymore, i dont remember how many days ive been doing this. Ijust count it like coronavirus day 67, or something. New york has been through a lot and this is certainly testing us a lot and this is certainly testing us to our limits. I think we are
well hopeful this is going to get better. Its been a marathon. We have been acting like it is a sprint. Its as if we were immediately post hurricane. Except the problem is, it was like the hurricanejust the problem is, it was like the hurricane just came, hit the coast and then moved away. Then we could start recovering. Imagine a hurricane sitting over your city for 50 days. Vacations have been deferred, birthdays have been deferred. Were doing is basically sleeping and coming work and dealing with the coronavirus. So, i have finally made it to my hotel room. A cute little kitchen. There is my famous insta pot. Nancy isa there is my famous insta pot. Nancy is a Critical Care nurse who will be working in the same hospital as doctor choi pena. Working in the same hospital as doctor choipena. I let my daughter this morning but im sad to leave her but i know she is in good hands. Here is the bathroom, this is where the action is. Make up, hair, i dont know what. A shower. It looks kind of cosy to me and i think im going to be very happy here over the next eight weeks. Christina and derek will be working in the bronx. There is our hospital. The borrower with the highest death rate in new york. We came two days early to get a tour. A lot of sick people. They are coming in quick. That right there is exactly what you think it is. They are about to take a truck away from the hospital. By early april, the situation in new york is so april, the situation in new york is so bad that refrigerated trucks are being used as makeshift bogs, and mass graves dug to deal with the number of bodies. So, its the morning of my first shift. Didnt really sleep very well last night. Im working a 12 hour shift today and tomorrow. So, im just keeping my fingers crossed for the best. Alrighty, wish me luck. This is my first shift and all day today we have been going through testing and honestly everywhere is just go time. We are doing the best we can. I heard the other day that if you can work in the bronx er, you can work anywhere. So, hopefully we get through these 13 weeks with my sanity intact. So wejust get through these 13 weeks with my sanity intact. So we just finished oui sanity intact. So we just finished our shift today, trying to decontaminate and disinfect everything. She is already taking off her shoes. Laughs dont lose this now. We keep everything in a bag separate. Dont lose this now. We keep everything in a bag separatem dont lose this now. We keep everything in a bag separate. It is unlike anything i have ever seen before. To see so many critical patients coming in at one time. The ambulances were non stop. It seems like every two or three minutes, there was an amulet coming in. There are other cases where you know the situation is not going to end well. Whenever i see it to this degree, it is almost as though death is sitting on some of these patients soldiers whispering in their ears. Theres been times when i walked out the door and said to myself, what in the world has just happened . Time to get out of here. Nancy has been assigned to work in want of her hospitals pop up intensive care units. So firstly. Which have been created to do with the overflow of
covid 19 patients. Created to do with the overflow of covid19 patients. Time to go back. No rest for the weary. With the pepup no rest for the weary. With the pop up icus, the issue is the lack of access to equipment we need to ta ke of access to equipment we need to take care of the patients. The nurses are spending a good majority of their time running around hospital trying to find supplies. I think all of the nurses are doing the best that they can but it definitely stressful. It was busy, it was definitely an experience today. I got in there and they were so today. I got in there and they were so shortstaffed that they tried to give me four icu patients, which is kind of unheard of. Usually two is the norm, three is a lot. But four, there was no way. So we will see how it goes. I am on for another 12 hour shifts tomorrow. Im just going to ta ke shifts tomorrow. Im just going to take some strength to get myself upstairs. It has become all consuming. Im getting reminded by my family to ta ke getting reminded by my family to take small breaks, especially when im my kids. When im at home, there is almost like this guilt that i am not still there. There is much more fighting to do. There has been a lots of absentee fathering unfortunately. I got up early to put my son to bed last night and the thing he was sad about yesterday was that he doesnt get to see me, which breaks my heart. Hes going to remember me not being that more than the pandemic and the virus and that hurts. Its definitely something that leans on me and affects me, and affects them. After i get my scrubs on and my compression socks, every nurse should wear compression socks. We are at high risk, the virus is everywhere. No matter how many times we wash our hands, honey times we sanitise, the risk is very high. I
have a scrub. Right now, we have 40 people from our agency picking up the work for the nurses that are out sick. There are more of us working in the er right now than the regular employees. It is extremely busy, it isjust a employees. It is extremely busy, it is just a constant flow stop one after the other after the other. An ambulance brought in an elderly person, about 15 minutes, 20 minutes later, they were out in a body bag. They come in alert, and then it is mind blowing how fast theyjust go. After this is over and the healthcare workers dont get the therapy they need to process the stuff, i think the statistics are going to be high with suicide attempts. With healthcare workers, so attempts. With healthcare workers, so there is something we really have to watch out for. As somebody who works in psychology, i know that it isa works in psychology, i know that it
is a possibility. Well, we just finished our first three days in a iow. Finished our first three days in a row. I am wiped out, i am tired. You dont realise how much it takes, wearing all of this ppe. My head feels like it is £100 heavier on my neck. It has been a long night, it is after midnight, we have been here since noon and it is time to hit the road, decompress and. Shower shower. Nancy hasjust finished a shift on a covid unit. Where all of the patients are dependent on a ventilator. Generally, just people that are in that unit are not likely to survive. Since this whole virus situation started, there has only been two patients who have made it out of the unit and survived. That is very, very little. The age range was pretty great. There was a
patient there who was 26. Which i thought was really eye opening because it just further thought was really eye opening because itjust further reiterates how the covid back virus affects everyone. But this young girl, she is still there and still fighting for her life and it is sad. Home, sweet home time to get these scrubs off. My feet are killing me it has beena off. My feet are killing me it has been a long day. Pants, they are going to go into the basket. I think now people are exhausted and i think people just want respite. I think the nurses want to get back to what they were doing, you know, before this happened. With the units have been turned so upside down. But i think at this point people are just
ready to quit. Quit the covid crisis, i mean, not theirjob. You know, as a nurse, we give all of our energy to others and keep none for ourselves. I think that is why we are always tired. Across the city in the bronx, the virus is highlighting stark inequalities. You have the projects, lower income housing, a large immigrant population. We are seeing mostly impoverished individuals, you see the black Latina Community as well. These are essential workers, you know . They are bus drivers, theyjanitors, they are bus drivers, theyjanitors, they are those that deliver food, deliver mail. And so, while many people are able to quarantine themselves or they have the luxury of working at
home, essential workers dont have that opportunity. So it gives them an increased chance of being exposed to the virus. Black and latina new yorkers are dying at twice the rate of white residents of the city. After developing symptoms of fatigue and a headache, christina has been sent home from the hospital. and a headache, christina has been sent home from the hospital. I was crying. I was just more scared because i didnt want to be, like some of the patients that weve seen, i mean, i get really, really sick. And today, she is going for a test. If it is positive ijust hope that i have built up some type of immunity. Im pretty nervous. Im hoping its not but ijust feel like a truck hit me and my muscles hurt. Any symptoms right now . Just fatigue
and a headache still. And my stomach. Tilt your head back. All the way back, as far as you can. I will all right, youre all done. The way back, as far as you can. I will all right, youre all donem ta kes 24 will all right, youre all donem takes 24 hours to know the results so takes 24 hours to know the results so that is going to be really hard to sit and wait on the results. So if things for me get really bad, to where i have to go in the hospital, derek has graciously told me he will ta ke derek has graciously told me he will take care of chloe and the dog. If it gets really bad and i dont make it gets really bad and i dont make it out of the hospital, then chloe andi it out of the hospital, then chloe and i have had the discussions about, you know, where she would go and who she would go with. And who she would go withm christine attests positive she will
be one of the growing number of infected nurses. And some are becoming gravely ill. If christine attests positive. When i was training in brooklyn there was a nurse there who worked the night shift and she kind of hazardous reputation of being a battleaxe and obviously i grew to love her and knew that she had the biggest heart in the world. And i was told today bya in the world. And i was told today by a colleague that she is in Critical Care in the icu on a ventilator with coronavirus. And this is. Symbolic of a lot of the banks and the hurt that happens with healthcare workers because we are not only watching patients die but youre also hearing about colleagues that are suffering and so, it feels like an attack on all fronts and it feels like it is a personal attack and a professional attack and it is ha rd and a professional attack and it is hard sometimes i think to see past that and to get through that because it is really acute stress and it
feels like it is unravelling a lot of our lives as healthcare workers. That is the most challenging part is that these patients are kind of a loa n that these patients are kind of a loan and the families are not able to be there. Kind of loan. There was a gentleman that i was caring for and he was just was a gentleman that i was caring for and he wasjust not in a good way and i was holding his hand and i was like i am going to get some coffee and i will come back and i came back with a coffee and he was dead. Yeah. He died. So, iwas gone maybe 15 minutes. And there was nobody with him. So it was sad. And i felt, to some extent, like i did a disservice because i was not there andl disservice because i was not there and i went to get coffee. So, um, i
hate that. Um, i hate that more than anything. And then after that experience, you just flip back into nurse mode, you know . Now you have tojust do what nurse mode, you know . Now you have to just do what you have to do. Well known er doctor here in to just do what you have to do. Well known er doctor here in new york a battle to save the lives of so york a battle to save the lives of so many others. Took her own life after weeks of treating patients with covid 19. She died in virginia sunday. When i heard about doctor breen, i wasnt surprised, it is tragic and in the same day we heard about an ems technician who also killed himself and ijust think it is the tip of the iceberg. The other day i was talking to a tech who was responsible for putting the bodies and the bags and he said that is all
idid, day and the bags and he said that is all i did, day after day. I would put a body in a bag, take it downstairs and then there was no room downstairs, they were just everywhere. That is when the trucks came. They would fill it up with 55 bodies and it would leave and then another truck would be right there and they would fill it up and he said it was horrible. I