Chesterfield Royal Hospital Covid patients 'getting younger'

Dr Tim Meekings, an intensive care consultant, told ITV News: “There’s certainly a sense there are some younger patients coming through now.

“Most patients whether they’re young or old have got co-morbidities in most cases.

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“It's relatively unusual to have patients who are perfectly fit and well beforehand, but we have seen, it seems like, increased numbers of slightly younger people this time.”

Older people remain far more likely than younger people to end up in hospital with coronavirus.

Over the course of the pandemic, the latest figures show the Covid-19 hospital admission rate for people aged 85 and over is 5,518.7 per 100,000, which is more than one in 20.

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The admission rate for 65-to-84-year-olds is closer to one in 60, and for people aged 18-64 it is around one in 280.

Staff in the Royal’s intensive care department also told reporter Rajiv Popat how colleagues were helping one another cope with the strain.

Kate Davison, who until recently was an orthopedic nurse at the hospital, said: "It’s been very overwhelming sometimes but the team is absolutely amazing and they’re so compassionate in what they do.

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"It’s very, very patient orientated up here and I’ve really enjoyed working with staff up here to be honest. It’s been a really good experience even though it’s not been a good time…

"As a nurse we go home and we think about people. We talk between ourselves obviously because it is very upsetting sometimes and I don’t think you ever leave it at work.”