News

The COVID vaccine has heralded some much-needed hope for getting life back to a new normal.  NHS Western Isles is continuing to urge all eligible islanders to take up the vaccine when it is offered to them.  The following story has kindly been shared as a stark reminder to the harsh realities of the pandemic, and the hope that the vaccine offers.      

Just prior to the first Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown in March 2020, local nurse Nicola Libby received the devastating news that her beloved father had suffered an unexpected massive heart attack, and had sadly passed away.    

Nicola explained, “On 9^th March, dad had gone out to collect the papers, which he did every morning, when he had a sudden heart attack.  What made it all the more painful was that the whole country was about to enter the first lockdown on 15^th March and we had to put my own grief to the side, and deal with the logistics of urgently arranging his body to be transported from Essex to Lewis before this date. 

“My brothers, one living in England and the other living in Wales, were unable due to restrictions to travel home to Lewis for the service.  In fact, when I buried my father there were only four of us at the graveside, as Lockdown had also denied us the traditional funeral service from church.  We were not even allowed to have flowers as the Lockdown was so strict.”    

Whilst it is common practice in the Outer Hebrides to have extended family, friends and colleagues visit the family home to share their condolences, reminisce, or even simply offer a friendly hug, this too has been stolen by the Coronavirus pandemic.      

“It was the worst time ever,” Nicola recalled. “I am part of a great work team, where many of my colleagues at the local Surgical Ward are close personal friends, and when I returned to work, they were unable to console me due to household and physical distancing restrictions.  Consoling someone is part of the grieving process and it is human nature that when you are struggling, people want to hug you, and not to have that being given when it is so needed is a huge thing.”      

Looking forward, Nicola is urging eligible individuals to help in the effort to beat the pandemic and to not delay in taking up the offer of the vaccine.  As a frontline health professional, she has recently received the vaccine herself and said it was “quick and painless” and she has not experienced any negative reaction to it.    

She has also completed her theory practice for becoming a Peer Vaccinator for NHS Western Isles, to help increase the Board’s capacity in getting the vaccine out to those who need it as safely and as quickly as possible.    

Nicola added, “We need people to have this vaccine so that we can get back to some kind of normality again, and so, at some point soon, people can come together again, and be able to visit each other in their homes and help during our darker times.  I’ve been encouraging my colleagues and my friends to make sure they get the vaccine – I’ve even been encouraging my pals at our local Zumba group who now meet online not to delay in getting it if and when they become eligible!      

“I don’t think any of us will take for granted the opportunities and freedom of what we had before Coronavirus. The sooner we can get back to the new normal, the better it will be for us all – and the first step is getting the vaccine.”      

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccine in the Outer Hebrides is well underway, with those whose lives are most at risk from the virus being prioritised in the first phase of the vaccination programme. 

If you are eligible, you will be contacted as part of the vaccination programme, in line with the nationally defined priority groups.       

If you have been given an appointment and are unable to attend or would like to rearrange your appointment, we would appeal to you to let us know as soon as possible so that your appointment can be offered to someone else, and so we can reduce the risk of vaccine wastage. To do this please tel. 0808 196 8383.    

Keep yourself, your family and your community safe.     
Take up the COVID Vaccination when offered.