Covid-19: Paramedic couple speak about life on the front line of pandemic

Paramedics Emma and Martin Pamington, from Seer Green, have been administering the life-saving vaccine to thousands of Bucks residents each week.

The pair, who both work at GP practices as primary care paramedics, have spoken to the Bucks Free Press about their work and experience of the pandemic, as both NHS workers and parents to two children.

Emma Pamington

Emma, who works at Bourne End and Wooburn Green Surgery, said the vaccination process itself is “smooth and efficient” thanks to a “massive team effort”.

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She said: “We have loads of volunteers helping to get the patients out of their cars and into the waiting rooms.

“We also have runners helping to take the patients to the vaccinating pods, as well as receptionists and those who book patients to come in.

“We then run through the necessary paperwork with the patients, many of whom haven’t been out since last March.

“So it’s quite something for them to come out and get the vaccination. Some of them are very emotional, there are lots of tears.

“All of them are just so grateful to get them.”

Emma said she returned to the ambulance service for three months during the first lockdown, adding it was “tough” and “hard work”.

She said: “We were going out to lots of patients with symptoms but we didn’t tie it all together then.

“I worked out of Wexham Park Hospital and we had the military come in to drive us around.

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“There was a really good camaraderie in the ambulance service then. This time around, it’s so much harder.

“Everyone is just tired now. Winter for the health service is always so tough anyway, and then to add this on – it’s really tough out there for the ambulance service at the moment.”

She added: “It is busy but it also feels good to get out there and it feels now like we are working towards getting us out of this.”

The couple also do home visits for GPs – Martin works at The Simpson Centre, in Beaconsfield – so it allows the doctors to deal with patients at the surgeries and over the phone.

Martin Pamington

And the pair, who have two children aged eight and 11, are also juggling home schooling alongside their medical duties.

Emma said: “I’m so grateful to the schools for looking after key workers’ kids so that we can get out there and do what we do.

“It does feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel for us because we are getting through vaccinating lots of people a day, so that just shows how smoothly it’s running.

“I think it’s going to be another couple of months, but we’ve just got to get through it and the vaccine can only be a positive thing.”

READ MORE: These are the Bucks GP surgeries currently vaccinating patients

Her comments come as the UK surpasses 100,000 deaths this week, with the Prime Minister extending lockdown until March 8.

Speaking about Covid deniers, Emma said: “I think it’s craziness, it’s a real shame. It’s happening, it’s real and the hospitals are really, really struggling.

“To anyone that’s offered the vaccine, I would say take it. Don’t worry about which one it is either. They are all safe, they have all been tested on lots of people.”

And touching on the 100,000-plus death count, she said: “It’s just dreadful. All the patients we’ve been out to who haven’t made it – the poor families who haven’t been able to see them properly – it’s just heartbreaking.”

Emma, who has now received the first jab herself, added: “It feels really positive to get it. We are dealing with patients all the time with Covid and I don’t know anyone in the health service who has turned it down.

“I feel proud that we are part of the vaccination process. What a time to work for the NHS.”