Many NHS workers are sending their children away to other family members to protect their loved ones from coronavirus.
During the Second World War children were also sent away from cities to the countryside to protect them from the Blitz.
Many elderly people have described the current coronavirus lockdown to that of the Blitz, whilst doctors and nurses have said they have never seen so many daily deaths.
NHS workers who fighting on the frontline of this deadly virus are forced to self-isolate after every shift to protect their families.
One nurse said, “My daughter is staying with her dad, I’m working on a Covid ward. It’s really hard but I can’t take the risk of bringing it home.”
Another said: “[My daughter] had to go and live with my sister unfortunately as the risk is just too great.”
Dr Craig Williams from South Wales, now only sees his wife and 15-year-old daughter in person through the window when dropping off supplies.
“It is the reality of what people are going through and it is hard,” said Dr Williams, who is living alone in a holiday cottage.
“We’re envisaging this for another 11 to 12 weeks.”
Another Dr told the PA news agency, he is self-isolating from his wife and new born baby to protect them.
Dr Sandesh Gulhane said, “I am basically socially distancing myself from my family.
“I say hello, but I don’t hug my six-day-old child, my six-year-old son, I don’t go near my wife.
“I sleep in a separate room, I use a separate bathroom, I eat separately to them.”
Dr Gulhane is urging people to stay at home, he added, “I am sacrificing my family life and people can’t sacrifice having a BBQ.”
Dr Trevor Pickersgill, treasurer for the British Medical Association and consultant neurologist, said, “The tremendous effort that doctors and NHS staff across the UK are making in the battle against Covid-19 does not always stop at the front line.
“As well as working tirelessly to protect and save the lives of patients, many are having to make the incredibly difficult sacrifice of not seeing their families and loved ones.
“We know that doctors are more likely to come into contact with the virus in the course of treating patients, and as such, many are having to make significant changes to how they live and interact with their families in order to limit the spread of the virus.
“Not enough can be said of the incredible effort and sacrifice that doctors and NHS staff throughout the UK are making during these trying times. Their contribution is massively valued and appreciated.”
Susan Masters, the director for nursing, policy and practice at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said, “We have called on the government urgently to increase staff testing so that nurses who test negative can come out of isolation and return to work.
“But it is no surprise that nursing staff are taking the instruction to self-isolate when they exhibit symptoms extremely seriously.”
The UK saw a record death toll on Wednesday of 936 people confirmed to have died from coronavirus.
In England 828 coronavirus patients died in hospitals, with the total being 6,483, said NHS England. Scotland announced 70 deaths, whilst Wales had 33 more deaths.
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