Love Island's Dr Alex on working for the NHS during the Coronavirus Pandemic
The A&E doctor spoke about the increasing pressure
Alex George might have been introduced to our TV screens in the glorious summer of 2018 as a contestant on Love Island. But since leaving the show, Alex has managed to continue working at the A&E department in University Hospital Lewisham in London.
As the Coronavirus Pandemic worsens, the reality star/doctor has found himself splitting his time between working in A&E and fielding questions about the virus on TV. Here, he discusses what it’s like to be a part of the NHS during these unprecedented times.
How often are you working in A&E?
I'm putting in shifts where they need support. We do 11 hour shifts. I'm trying to balance the fact that I'm trying to be on the A&E frontline, but also trying to push the messaging because I feel a sense of social responsibility to get as much information out as I can.
You hear these reports about people being out this weekend and the problem is that Brits are really good at pulling together, but sometimes you can smell the smoke, but you can't see the fire.
Some people think it's not going to affect me, or ask is it that bad... But if you look in the majors and resuscitation and ICU departments around the country, it’s getting busy. There are members of society who are really quite unwell with it.
How is working on A&E like at the moment?
It's getting busier and busier. In the minors departments, it’s thankfully not too bad. The public are listening to us when we say please don't come in for things that can wait because we are under such pressure - and if it wasn't for that we would be in trouble.
Then, we are having a percentage of people who have the illness and are requiring ventilation, intubation and intensive care beds. So I think Lewisham now is getting very busy. A lot of our intensive care beds are taken up by patients with Coronavirus. So yeah, we are now starting to feel the effects.
What’s the atmosphere like in the NHS?
People's chins are up, you work in the NHS because you want to be there and help in moments like this. We're really just rolling our sleeves up and getting on with it. But we're going to see it peak in the next few months, so to keep it going is going to be difficult.
And if we see huge spikes in the numbers of people coming in with Coronavirus, we put so much pressure on the system and also on morale as well. So that's why it's so important that people respect the social distancing and isolation policies - because ultimately, it helps save the NHS, taking pressure off services and saving lives, of course.
Do you - and your colleagues - feel adequately protected from catching Coronavirus while you're working?
I know there's been a lot of concerns raised by certain staff around the country that worry about the protective equipment - and it is absolutely vital that we make sure frontline staff have the necessary protective equipment.
At the end of the day if we're off sick, we're not able to look after the patients that come into the hospital. I know the NHS is doing everything it can and the government is trying its best to support us. It's just got to be an 110% effort by everyone to make sure we've got the equipment, we need enough beds and staff. And the protection.
There are reports on social media of food not being available in supermarkets for NHS staff - even sometimes during priority slots for NHS workers - what are your thoughts on that?
Thank you so much to any supermarkets who are supporting slots for the elderly and also for NHS staff. It's really, really important, those people who are you know, pretending to do that and go in and do you take advantage of that - please don't because at the end of the day, the reason that slot exists is because workers can't get there, and at other times they might not be able to get food.
And I'm hearing stories of people going to the shops and having no food available to buy, which is awful, after a long shift, and many have a family as well. So please do respect those timings.
Your tweet that NHS workers shouldn't have to pay for parking went viral...
It's something I've been saying for a long time. It costs staff a lot of money, sometimes it's £15 plus a day to park your own car. That can't be right. We're working at unsociable hours, and leaving at three or four in the morning. It's not safe. And I know people who have been mugged walking get to their car which is parked away from the hospital.
I made a tweet last night (22nd March) and it just went viral, I guess I didn't really expect such a backing. I mean, I saw Deborah Meaden retweeted and other people that were behind the MPs and stuff. So it's good to see that. And if people want to start petitioning, then why not - we'll see how it goes. I know that some hospitals have taken action, but it certainly isn't nationwide. So that's something that really has to change.
What else do you think can change for NHS staff?
I think, off the top of my head, it actually can be really, really difficult to get hold of food during shifts. Is there a way that businesses - or even hospitals - can support their staff and organise some form of food, catering, or takeout services - it is really difficult.
What are the most dangerous myths you have seen circulating about Coronavirus?
I've seen a lot of things about things you can supposedly do to prevent catching it, like drinking garlic water, unfortunately you know there are a lot of different nutritional benefits to foods, but they can't protect you against Coronavirus so I'm worried to see people saying things like that.
I've also seen some things about washing your hands with bleach, chemicals that you should not use your skin. I've seen people saying that a really, really hot bath will kill the coronavirus off your skin. And you're actually much more likely to cause burns. That's why it's so important to use good source of information, like the Public Health England website, the government websites, and avoid any kind of risky social media kind of articles that you see on these sites that are not ready in any way validated or monitored because that could give you potentially dangerous misleading advice.
How can people look after their mental health?
I mean the really important top three things I think to me is... Number one: exercise is so important. Going to the gym might not be possible, but doing bite sized 15 - 20 minute workouts in the kitchen at home body workout is so important for your body and mind.
Secondly, routine is so important. You know we've kind of had our structures and our daily routine pulled from underneath our feet. So try and create your routine. You know a time for breakfast, time for lunchtime. It's so important. Humans are designed to have routine. Thirdly, nutrition. Try and eat healthily as best as you can.
What can people do if they're worried and showing symptoms?
If you have a high temperature or persistent cough, isolate yourself. If you're in doubt, just self isolate, if you think I don't feel right, I've got a sore throat, I feel a bit hot and cold don't feel right. Just don't take risks. Self isolate, be confident. If you're living alone, seven days, self isolation from when the circumstances start, but if you don't, then everyone in that house should isolate for 14 days.
If you think 'I've got symptoms, but I'm not coping at home. I've got an underlying illness or I'm just really feeling unwell', then call the NHS 111 service. They'll talk about your symptoms and make a decision to see if you need hospital help and admission and that'll be arranged so that's the main thing, if you are worried and you're not getting better.
Now take a look at some delicious 'store cupboard' recipes that will make your mouth water:
Lentil Dahl (serves 6)
Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp each of cumin seeds and mustard seeds
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 red bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 large tomato, finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander stalks, finely chopped
1 tsp each of ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, curry powder
and dried chilli flakes
350g dried green lentils
400ml vegetable stock
800ml tinned coconut milk,
shaken well before opening
Pinch of flaked sea salt
Squeeze of lemon juice
100g fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Method
Place a large pan over a medium heat, melt the coconut oil in it then cook the cumin and mustard seeds for a minute until fragrant and starting to pop.
Add the onion, garlic, chilli, ginger, tomato and coriander stalks to the seeds and cook until the onions and garlic start to soften, then add all the remaining dry spices and mix well.
Stir in the lentils, vegetable stock and half of the coconut milk. When it all starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low and cook the dahl for 2 hours with the lid on, checking on it often and stirring to ensure that it doesn't stick to the bottom. If it starts to stick or looks like it's drying out, add up to 200ml of water.
Once the lentils are cooked, add the remaining coconut milk and stir through the dahl to make it really creamy. Add salt to taste at the very end of the cooking process (any earlier will make the lentils toughen up). Add a squeeze of lemon juice then serve with the fresh coriander, rice or flatbreads and pineapple chutney.
This recipe has been taken from the upcoming book from Justine Murphy The mymuybueno Cookbook available in June 2020.
In this, her first book, Justine shares 160 delicious, fully refined sugar-free ideas for healthy breakfasts, sharing platters, soups, curries, salads, main dishes and plant-based desserts.
Vegan pesto pasta (serves 2)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
Heaped tsp Vita Coco Coconut oil
Heaped Tsp buckwheat flour
1 cup Vita Coco Coconut Original milk
Heaped Tbsp vegan basil Pesto
2 Tsp Nutritional Yeast
Sea salt & Black pepper to taste
2 Servings spelt spaghetti (or other pasta of choice)
Handful Fresh cherry Tomatoes
Method
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
To make the sauce, gently heat the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat, then stir through the flour to create a roux.
Remove the from the heat and whisk in some of the milk until all of the flour mixture has dissolved. Return this to the hob and pour in the rest of the milk whilst continuing to whisk. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and stir continuously as the sauce thickens.
Add in the nutritional yeast, pesto and season to taste.
Once the pasta is cooked, transfer the spaghetti into the sauce and carefully mix everything together. Slice the tomatoes into quarters and scatter over the pasta.
Wotsits Mac n Cheese (Serves 2)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
25g of Wotsits, ground
25g of Wotsits, halved
25g of Wotsits, whole
25g of toasted panko bread crumbs
50g of white onion, finely chopped
10g of garlic, finely chopped
2g of fresh thyme, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
300ml of whole milk
20g of chopped white onion
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
20g of butter
20g of flour
50g of cheddar cheese, grated
30g of mozzarella, grated
40g of Wotsits
300g cooked Macaroni noodles
Method
In a bowl, mix together ground, whole, and halved Wotsits. Set aside.
Heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the finely chopped onions, garlic, and, thyme. Cook until the onions are very soft and translucent. Season with salt.
Heat milk in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, clove and bay leaf. Let infuse over low for about 10-15 minutes. Then strain.
Heat butter in a pan over medium heat, add flour and whisk until smooth. Cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the infused milk and whisk until smooth. Add the confit onions and cooked macaroni followed by the cheese and crushed Wotsits Stir to combine.
Pour into a prepared baking dish and cover with toasted panko and bake at 180ºC for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Wotsits mixture made earlier.
Chilli Con Carne (Serves 4)
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
450g lean minced beef
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3 tbsp Tarantella Organic Tomato Puree
300ml hot vegetable stock
1x400g tin Tarantella Organic Chopped Tomatoes
400g red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
40g coriander, chopped; plus extra to garnish
Salt and pepper to season
Method
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the beef for 10 minutes until well browned, stirring well as you go to break up any lumps. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan, then fry the onion until soft and golden.
Add the spices to the onion and fry for a minute, then return the browned beef mince to the pan. Add the tomato puree, stock and Tarantella Tomatoes. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Continue to bubble gently, uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes.
5 minutes before you're ready to serve, stir in the kidney beans and the coriander, then season and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve with rice.
Spam Fajitas
Ingredients
1 x 200g tub or can SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham - cut into long strips
1 pack of tortillas
½ Red pepper cut into long strips
½ Green pepper cut into long strips
½ Orange pepper cut into strips
1 red chilli - finely diced (optional)
1 small red onion - cut into quarters and then thinly sliced
Baby gem lettuce leaves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Method
Add the oil into a large frying pan, when warmed through stir in the SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham strips and fry on each side until golden brown. Allow to cool.
Lay each tortilla flat on a chopping board. Spread a little of the sour cream on the tortilla, and sprinkle a little of the chopped red chilli. Then lay on two or three lettuce leaves, a mixture of the peppers, the cooked SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham strips and the red onion slices.
Roll each Fajita up and place on a serving plate.
Serving suggestions: Sour cream, guacamole, salsa, nachos and grated cheese
Spaghetti alla Carbonara (4 people)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 13 minutes
Ingredients
350g Barilla Spaghetti
5 egg yolks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
150g guanciale (cured unsmoked pork jowl) or pancetta
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
salt and black pepper to taste
Method
In a bowl, beat egg yolks with a pinch of salt and 1/3 of the grated Pecorino. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add guanciale, cut into strips, and sauté for a few minutes until lightly browned. Meanwhile, boil pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
Drain, reserving some of the cooking water, transfer to the pan with the guanciale and mix well. Remove pan from heat, add beaten egg yolks with a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water and mix for about 30 seconds.
Add the remaining Pecorino and mix well.
Serve immediately, garnished with a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
Black Bomber ‘Mac and Cheese’ with roasted cherry tomatoes and crispy bacon (Serves 4)
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Ingredients
350g (2 cups) macaroni or short pasta
50g (1/3 cup) butter
50g (1/3 cup) plain/all purpose flour
500ml (2 cups) milk
1-2 tsps mustard - any type
150g 1 heaped cup Snowdonia Cheese Company Black Bomber, grated
8 slices streaky bacon
1 pkt cherry tomatoes on the vine
Method
In a large pan of boiling water cook the pasta according to pack directions.
Meanwhile melt the butter in a small pan, add the flour, stir and cook gently for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk stirring until you have a smooth thickened sauce, add the mustard and half of the Black Bomber, season to taste.
Grill the bacon and tomatoes on the vine until crispy and cooked, cut the bacon into pieces and keep warm. Check the pasta is cooked and drain, reserving some of the liquid.
Mix the pasta and sauce together, adding some of the reserved liquid if a little too thick.
Place in a heatproof dish, sprinkle over the remaining cheese and place under a hot grill until golden and bubbling.
Serve immediately topped with the crispy bacon and tomatoes, because why not?
Lemony Mushroom and Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Two chicken breasts
275g chestnut mushrooms
180g fresh fettuccine
Juice and zest of one lemon
One clove of garlic
2tsp chilli flakes
A good grating of parmesan
4tbsp of good olive oil
1tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to season
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Heat half the olive oil in a sauté pan, season the chicken and brown it all over. Add the garlic and mushrooms then sauté well, tossing around a little to mix.
Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes then remove and leave to rest.
While the chicken is in the oven, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for about three to four minutes, until al dente.
Drain the fettuccine, put back in the pan and then add the remaining olive oil, chilli flakes and lemon zest and juice and stir well.
Add the chicken, garlic and mushrooms, stir well, add the parsley and check the seasoning.
Serve and add parmesan to taste.
Recipe from The Mushroom Bureau
Mushroom Veggie Bolognese (Serves 4)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
100g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
100g button mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
100ml red wine
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
100ml vegetable stock
2 thyme sprigs, chopped
10g basil, stalks and leaves
2 bay leaves
1tsp tomato puree
To serve
Spaghetti
Parmesan cheese, grated
Method
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic, carrot and celery for about 5 minutes until soft. Now add the mushrooms, pepper, thyme, basil stalks and bay leaves. Continue cooking for a further 5 minutes.
Pour in the red wine, stock and tinned tomatoes. Season with salt and milled pepper to taste and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
When ready add chopped fresh basil and serve with freshly cooked spaghetti and a grating of parmesan cheese.
Recipe from The Mushroom Bureau
Falafel Burgers (makes 4)
Ingredients
Cooks & Co chickpeas, drained
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
Small bunch parsley
1tsp ground cumin
1tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp harissa paste (or chilli powder)
1tbsp plain flour
2tbsp sunflower oil
Burger buns
Salad and condiments of your choice.
Method
In a food processor place the chickpeas, red onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, ground coriander, harissa paste/chilli powder and flour. Season with salt and pepper then blitz until fairly smooth.
Shape into patties then heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the falafel for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden.
Assemble the burgers using salad and condiments of your choice.
Recipes provided by Cooks&Co, for more recipe inspiration or to purchase items, visit www.cooksandco.co.uk
Show-stopping Shepherd’s Pie (Serves 6)
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 30 mins
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 stalks rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
4 tinned anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
500g lamb mince
2 tbsp tomato purée
400ml stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
150g frozen garden peas
2 x 109g Idahoan Classic Perfect Mash
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion and carrots over a medium heat for 10 minutes, adding the garlic for the last couple of minutes. Stir in the rosemary and anchovies, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the mince and stir until cooked, then add in the tomato puree and stock.
Bring to a gentle simmer, add the Worcestershire sauce and cook for 20 minutes until thickened. Stir in the peas and spoon into a 1.25 litre ovenproof dish.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan, Gas Mark 6. Meanwhile, prepare the Idahoan Classic Perfect Mash to packet instructions. Spoon the mash over the top of the mince, place on a baking tray and cook for 30 minutes.
TIP: For a speedier alternative, why not just spoon Idahoan Classic Perfect Mash over some leftover Bolognese sauce before baking in the oven.
Penne Rigate All'Arrabbiata (Serves 4)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
350g Barilla® Penne Rigate
50ml tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes or to taste
400ml Italian canned tomatoes peeled (may substitute with Barilla® Marinara Sauce)
60g Romano cheese grated
20g fresh Italian parsley chopped
salt to taste
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Sauté garlic and red chili pepper flakes with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until slightly golden and fragrant
Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil; simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove skillet from heat
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; reserve ¾ cup of pasta cooking water
Add pasta and pasta cooking water to the tomato sauce; toss over medium heat until pasta is well coated.
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