These NHS heroes have fought the virus longer than anyone – they are mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted but will battle on to save lives.
They work at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, which treated the UK’s first two Covid-19 cases 12 months ago. Since then, the hospital’s medics have had a year from hell with hundreds more gravely sick coronavirus sufferers coming through the doors.
Its frontline nurses and doctors are working punishingly long hours to care for and comfort patients who suffer – and sometimes die – without seeing their loving friends and families.
There seems to be no end to the enormous pressure on workers, who are only kept going by hope – hope that the vaccines will one day help the world return to some