What it‘s like for Sydney Covid patients in St Vincent’s ICU

For the first time, cameras have been allowed inside a Sydney ICU, where patients are fighting for their lives.

Alone in a bed, struggling to breathe with tubes spewing out of your nose and mouth, surrounded by alien-like carers – that is the reality for a Covid-19 sufferer in ICU.

Harrowing images of patients struggling to stay alive have been published for the first time.

NSW Health allowed photographer Kate Geraghty into the ICU of a Sydney hospital to show what it was like for those suffering Covid-19.

A COVID-19 positive patient in St Vincent’s Hospital. Photo: Kate Geraghty

A man is pictured attached to a breathing apparatus with straps keeping the lifesaving machinery in place around his cheeks and forehead.

Wires are stuck to his chest while he struggles to breathe on the hospital bed.

He is being tended to by nurses and doctors in alien-like protective personal equipment.

Their scrubs are covered by another overshirt, latex gloves on their hands and their faces are hidden by a mask and face shield.

The number of patients in ICU is growing. Photo: Kate Geraghty

The pictures have been published to highlight the danger of the virus. Photo: Kate Geraghty

Vaccinating against Covid-19 is the only way for Australians to get their normal lives back, but as a nation we’re struggling.

News.com.au’s Our Best Shot campaign answers your questions about the Covid-19 vaccine roll out.

Covid-19 patients are isolated while being treated. Photo: Kate Geraghty

There are currently 71 Covid-19 patients in Sydney hospitals.

Of that amount, 20 are in ICU – with their ages ranging from 20-years-old to 80-years-old.

Four of these people need ventilators to breathe.

A teenager was in ICU last week, and two people have died from the virus in recent days.

The harrowing pictures were published as medical experts announced people under the age of 40 should be vaccinated against Covid-19 if they are in Sydney.

Previous advice had told younger people they were more at risk of the extremely low chance side effects caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian will release the latest Covid-19 numbers at 11am. Photo: Kate Geraghty

Hospital staff have to wear protective gear while treating patients. Photo: Kate Geraghty

Blood clotting can occur in very rare circumstances but Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Karen Price said the risk of Covid-19 has now outweighed the risk of a vaccine.

“There is a risk in having any medication, there is a risk whenever you take aspirin or the contraceptive pill. There is a greater risk in not having the vaccine,” she said.

“For the current outbreak in Sydney there is about 10 per cent of the cases in hospital, getting serious treatment. That is extraordinarily higher than a risk associated with taking a Covid-19 vaccine.

“With almost all medication there is a risk, and that is why people need to speak to doctors and health professionals to weigh up what is right for them.”