Many medical workers endured trauma because of working in the intensive care unit during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK; research shows that doctors and nurses manifest post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression, and some believe they are in a hopeless scenario. The UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock proclaimed that officials are pondering placing recovering Covid-19 patients into hotels as a “backup plan,” such as the intense stress placed on hospitals by the newest surge of cases. The UK reported its second deadliest day since the start of the pandemic on January 12, 2021. The UK government and senior health officials have advised that many hospitals are on the edge of being overwhelmed.

Psychotherapist and writer Owen O’Kane, who worked as an NHS clinical lead for mental health and as a palliative care nurse before, said that medical workers used to deal with stressful surroundings. Also, they used to deal with death and tough choices — but he thinks the part of the challenge at the moment is that it is unceasingly intense. There is no actual pause. They are constantly dealing with difficult situations and seeing lots of people die.