NHS hero says fighting coronavirus feels like she's been punched in the face

A medic has given a heartbreaking insight into conditions in the intensive care unit where she works - with colleagues collapsing and patients dying away from their families.

Sophia Lemming posted a picture of herself after a 13 hour shift on Facebook - and blasted "morons" who are still not taking the Covid-19 pandemic seriously.

Wearing protective equipment, she said, leaves her feeling "like I've been punched in the face" at the end of each day.

In her powerful message she said medics are having to stop thinking about their own mortality as they deal with the crisis.

The NHS hero wrote that there is no end in sight, and urged the public to stay home.

The crisis is taking a huge toll on NHS workers (file image) (Getty Images)

Alongside the picture, Sophia wrote that she had been redeployed to the intensive care unit, and said: "This is what work looks like now and no one knows when it will end."

And she continued: "The patients and colleagues need all the support they can get there.

"Thirteen hour shifts wearing PPE (which I’m grateful we have) hurts so much.

"Even when I’m not at work my nose is still tender, like I’ve been punched in the face."

Coronavirus outbreak: Number of deaths and cases in the UK

And describing what her shifts are like, she said: "It is physically and mentally exhausting, 100% the hardest experience of my life.

"Two nurses nearly ended up on the floor yesterday feeling faint. We are all tearful.

"So many patients are not getting better despite everyones best efforts.

"Bad news is being given on the phone and people are dying with medical professionals holding their hands instead of family."

A lack of protective gear at the outbreak of the virus has been blamed for the number of medics contracting the virus (stock photo) (Getty Images)

And she said staff are painfully aware that frontline NHS workers have died during the battle against coronavirus.

Sophia wrote: "You hear the news of young healthcare professionals dying from this virus and try and not think about your own mortality."

And yet despite the high price being paid by heroic NHS staff and patients, she said she was stunned that people continue to ignore government social distancing rules.

"Yet you can still find morons gathering together in the park drinking cans like its the longest fucking bank holiday ever," she wrote.

"Stay at home please."