Caerphilly County Borough Council’s deputy mayor has spoken about her experiences as a staff nurse on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

Cllr Carol Andrews, who works at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach, has described the situation as “manic”.

Cllr Andrews, who represents Bargoed, coincidentally works on the Bargoed ward at the hospital, which used to be a stroke rehabilitation ward before the pandemic.

The deputy mayor said: “It’s not been easy. Looking after Covid-19 patients is a huge change from looking after stroke patients.

“Wearing PPE [Personal Protective Equipment] for 13 hours a day is difficult – as the ward is single rooms, we’re having to put on and take off the PPE every time, which makes every task take twice as long.

“Even giving someone their tablets takes twice as long.”

Her role as a staff nurse includes “admitting patients, performing observations (blood pressure, temperature, pulse, oxygen saturations and respirations), assisting with hygiene and diet, administering medication, liaising with other members of the team, discharging patients and liaising with relatives”.

Cllr Andrews added: “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who claps every Thursday and everyone who has made donations. We’ve been inundated with donations and gestures of goodwill.

“There hasn’t been a single person on the ward who has faltered. A lot of staff have been working extra hours because other members of staff are having to shield.

“At the start there was a genuine threat that one of us could lose our lives. It’s frightening.

“Everyone has stepped up to the challenge.”

Cllr Andrews said the virus outbreak has seen “the community at its best”.