Southampton hospital boss says staff are 'exhausted' as pandemic takes its toll
ITV Meridian reporter Chlöe Oliver spoke to Dr Paul Grundy, the medical director for University Hospitals Southampton, outside the hospital
While infection rates across the country are slowing, hospital bosses in Southampton say there is still extreme pressure on medical staff as the variant takes its toll.
Southampton General Hospital is now taking patients from across the South and South East from as far as Kent.
Some patients are being airlifted from the Isle of Wight as the island's hospital struggles to cope with the number of Covid patients.
Hospital bosses at Southampton warn the new strain of Covid-19 is affecting a broader range of ages, spreading across predominately younger people in their 30s and 40s.
The vaccination programme may be targeting those over 70 and those considered 'clinically vulnerable' but, he says, the younger generations are not immune and need to stay safe.
Dr Paul Grundy, the medical director of University Hospital Southampton (UHS) praised clinical staff for working above and beyond as the hospital continues, as best it can, to treat other patients despite the ongoing pandemic.
He urged people to refer to the 111 and 999 phone-lines as well as their GP to reduce pressure on the hospital, depending on their concerns.
Earlier this month, ITV News Meridian was given special access to the intensive care unit at Southampton General Hospital to see how it was coping with a huge rise in the number of patients with coronavirus it was having to treat.