York marks a year since the first Covid cases in the city
Two hotel guests fell ill on this day in 2020.
Last updated 29th Jan 2021
A year on from when two people first fell ill with Covid-19 in York, we're being urged to do our bit to help the NHS in the battle against the pandemic.
On this day last year (29th January), two guests staying at the Staycity Aparthotel on Paragon Street fell ill. They were later the first people to be diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK.
Emma George is Head of Nursing at the York site of York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: "We were preparing for this, and the nursing teams were anxious. Around that time we'd opened up the ward, and that had taken a lot of preparation and planning. We had planning meetings for a number of weeks because we were aware of the situation in Italy.
"The plans we had in place were well thought out, but it was definitely a case of the unknown and what would happen.
"The position that we're in now a year on is actually a more difficult position. We have more Covid positive in-patients in our hospitals now than what we experienced in the first wave.
"We're working long hours, and our nurses are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. It's been an emotional rollercoaster, and because we don't have visiting at the moment nurses are being that relative for people.
"It's a constant, intense pressure on a daily basis. Nurses and other members of our team are working really long hours just to protect our NHS. We're so proud of the NHS and what it's doing right now, but we can't cope with much more".
Emma says people need to stick to the rules to help NHS teams during this lockdown: "My staff are amazing, and they're working above and beyond. Please help us, because although they're working really hard it's taking its toll.
"Remember that key message of 'Hands, Face, Space'".
Trevor Bayfield is from the Ryedale District and caught Covid whilst skiing in Italy early last year. He was told by doctors that he was one of the first people to be treated for the disease in Yorkshire: "At the time when I had it (Covid), it wasn't so well known. People didn't know what to expect or how the virus would develop.
"I actually found myself a little bit alienated after I recovered, as people were very anxious when they were near me. As time went on people got to know more about the virus and realised that I had recovered".
As Trevor has antibodies, he now donates plasma to help other people who have the virus. He's donated 20 times, and isn't planning on stopping: "I think the reaction of some of the people who've had Covid is 'oh well the vaccine is available now, so there's no urgent need for me to go'. However, the antibodies from a previous Covid patient have never been more precious.
"To be part of the plasma trial is such a great feeling, and I'm so glad to help out".