By Richard Bright
Welsh hockey player Rhodri Furlong has spoken about the challenges working on the frontline during the pandemic.
Furlong is a vascular scientist but has been deployed at the NHS Nightingale at London’s ExCeL Centre where he has been working with patients on intensive care to make sure blood samples can be taken quickly.
He told Hockey Wales: “It has been very different to the conventional intensive care set up in that it wss previously a conference centre. There are excellent staff and on the whole it has been very positive.
“The biggest challenge has been working in the PPE with the face mask and visor and communication can be quite tough with it being pretty warm.
Hampstead & Westminster’s Furlong has kept fit with runs, cycles and body weight work outs from the Hockey Wales S&C staff.
He has yet to see the NHS clapping on Thursday nights as he is generally on shifts or at the hotel where he stays before work.
He added: “I never expected to get to where we are now. I didn’t think it would get this bad in the UK but we are handling it as well as could be expected.”
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