They skipped meals, went without sleep, pushed their bodies and minds to breaking point as Covid-19 did its worst.
They helped those they could, and held the hands of those they couldn’t. They saw things no-one should have to see, and heard things that must echo in their heads still.
They wore ill-fitting, inadequate PPE, and shredded their immune systems with stress and exhaustion. They got sick. Some got better, and went straight back to work. Some didn’t get better.
Some are still sick, their lives changed forever by long Covid. Some are beyond sickness, their families left with nothing but memories and pain.
And what did we do? We clapped. Oh boy, did we clap. We stood on our doorsteps and applauded as these ordinary, extraordinary people - some fresh out of college, some with decades of experience - hurled themselves into battle again and again.
“Same time next week!” we smirked to our neighbours as we disappeared back inside at 8.01pm every Thursday.
Stay home, save lives was the motto - the best thing we could do was to do nothing at all, the Government told us.
They certainly led by example. They’ve been doing nothing for the nurses of the NHS ever since.
Now the nurses are doing something even harder than being the last line of defence against a deadly, invisible foe. Against every instinct, they’re downing tools and saying enough is enough.
Enough nurses using food banks. Enough nurses sleeping in cars. Enough nurses pulling double shifts because the Government’s poverty pay has driven their colleagues away. It’s not safe and it’s not fair.
They’re shouting loud enough for the whole nation to hear - it’s time for those in power to listen.
Remember what they did - and give them what they deserve.
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