The challenges facing our Midlands Air Ambulance crews during Covid-19

  • Matt Price has been given special access to the Midlands' air ambulance crew, watch his full report here

ITV News Central has been given special access to air ambulance doctors and paramedics in the Midlands - to see first hand the new challenges they face during the coronavirus pandemic.

Each life-saving mission relies on a steady stream of hot, uncomfortable personal protective equipment. That, and the fact that every single flight is paid for by public donations, means fundraising has never been more important.

Air Ambulance teams are the ones dealing with the most complex traumatic medical emergencies.

Now, with permission to fly Covid-19 patients, these doctors - paramedics and pilots, are putting their lives on the line to help others in need.

Covid-19 adds complexity to any call the medics get. 

They have to wear layer upon layer of personal protective equipment.

Air Ambulance services across the country rely on public donations to save lives.

So not only has their job been made more difficult by the pandemic, so too has the task of fundraising.

Shops have been closed and events cancelled.

The threat of this virus is very real for the teams who work closely together.

But it's not just on the ground that things have dramatically changed.

So, while the view high up rarely changes - what faces these teams on the ground is what is now so fundamentally different.

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