MORE than a third of ambulance staff have had Covid-19, the GMB union reveals today as it condemns continued failure to issue health workers with adequate protective equipment.

Some 37 per cent of ambulance staff have contracted the virus, 84 per cent of who believe they contracted it at work, and 30 per cent of staff across the NHS have been infected, the survey suggests.

GMB said it was “clear” that poor personal protective equipment (PPE) was to blame, and called on the government and Public Health England urgently to review PPE guidance for health workers and provide “gold standard” kit.

The survey of more than 3,500 NHS staff, including more than 1,600 ambulance workers, reveals a litany of complaints of staff being issued with flimsy gowns and masks and of hospital trusts failing to isolate or test patients efficiently.

Of the ambulance staff who said they’d had the virus, 61 per cent said they contracted it this winter, 29 per cent said their symptoms were “really bad” or “required medical attention,” and 63 per cent that they had not yet fully recovered, with 23 per cent believing they had the lasting effects of “long Covid.”

Across the whole NHS, 30 per cent said they had caught the virus, with almost 60 per cent believing they had passed it on to a family member. 

GMB national officer Rachel Harrison said: “Our health workers are dropping like flies, yet the government and Public Health England still won’t give them proper, FFP 3 protection.  

“This is a year into the pandemic — it’s a disgrace. 

“GMB has called for guidance to be reviewed since the start of the pandemic and unless ministers sit up and take notice, our health service will be overwhelmed.” 

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The safety of NHS and social care staff, including paramedics, has always been our top priority and we continue to work round the clock to deliver PPE that helps protect those on the front line.

“Guidance on the safest levels and standards of PPE is written by experts and agreed by all four UK chief medical officers. Our guidance is kept under constant review based on the latest evidence.”