Hi Ian,
My daughter works in a large hospital in Leeds, and has a different view of things than your friends. She usually phones us when she finishes work, last night it was 7-15, she started at 8 in the morning. She rings us for a few reasons, one to check up on me and her mum, and as a bit of stress relief. She can have a bit of a rant to let off a bit of steam to us. She knows we will listen, and can sometimes see things from a different, more distant angle. She doesn't work on the covid front line, or in ICU, but has friends who do, and daily sees the state they are in. She treats cancer patients, and despite what some of the media say, treatments are still going on, she has a patient who has a 5 hour session on the Gamma Knife today. Apart from treating, she is also in charge of the students, and band 4s, the future of the NHS. She has to hold regular assessment sessions with them, and has said that her usual opening line is asking how they are doing, many just burst into tears at the question, they are under so much pressure. The normal staff shortages are made worse because of those having to isolate, not just because they've tested positive, but if they have even been near someone who has, their patients already have a weakened immune system, so they can't risk any infection. They can't browse the internet, they don't have time, in fact my daughter rarely has time for her full meal break. The student care side of her work, means she has to keep in contact with other hospitals, and she also has old Uni' friends that work around the country, they are all under the same amount of pressure/stress. While I do realise that the levels of covid vary around the country, it would be interesting to know where your friend works, because they must have it very easy compared to the experiences my daughter and her colleagues are having.
John.