The Right Chamber – E16 Ground zero: A microbiologist’s COVID story

In this episode, microbiologist Dr. Elizabeth Rees shares her journey and reflections from her 26-year career at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust. Originally from Birmingham and trained in the West Midlands, Liz began her consultant role in 1999 and has since taken on multiple responsibilities including Infection Control Doctor and Chief of Community and Core Clinical Services. The focus of the conversation turns to Liz’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time she describes as both challenging and fascinating. She vividly recalls the first confirmed COVID-19 case at the hospital in early March 2020, before the UK lockdown. The patient had initially presented with unrelated symptoms, and it was a cardiologist’s keen observation that prompted COVID-19 testing. Liz discusses the early hurdles, such as limited access to testing facilities, delays in results, and the manual effort required to communicate diagnoses. A particularly emotional aspect was learning that many patients on the results list had already passed away by the time results arrived. A shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) presented additional stress. Liz recounts receiving a call about mask shortages while at a beauty salon and how the beautician generously donated her stock of surgical masks for hospital use—an example of the community’s willingness to help. She explains how rapidly evolving guidance demanded daily response meetings, addressing everything from patient management to oxygen distribution. The hospital’s estates department played a critical role in adapting infrastructure to meet unprecedented oxygen demands. Ultimately, Liz reflects on the collaboration, resilience, and compassion demonstrated by healthcare workers and the public during an extraordinary time in medical history.