No one can be in any doubt that having battled through the first and second wave of the pandemic, it is the third wave that now threatens to overwhelm our health service.
The fear of the NHS being unable to cope with a massive influx of sick Covid patients is one that has dominated political and healthcare thinking since March last year.
As a result of a strict lockdown and high levels of compliance, we were able to see the surge in infections brought down, albeit slowly, during April and May.
The second wave in the autumn was marked by mixed messaging, with political decision making torn between scientific guidance and pressure to keep businesses open, resulting in complex and often confusing measures.
We are now in the eye of the storm for the third time, and this period is already more challenging than that which has gone before.
Many more people are in hospital now than at the peak of the first wave.
Health officials are clear about the reasons for the unprecedented emergency facing health trusts.
The relaxation of restrictions before Christmas and gatherings over the festive period have fuelled the spike in infections.
And while the number of positive cases is starting to fall thanks to the post-Christmas lockdown, the worst is yet to come in terms of coronavirus patients requiring hospital care.
The weekend provided a sense of the extreme pressure the health service is under with two trusts sending out urgent calls for off-duty staff to come into work.
These are staff already under intolerable strain, working long hours in draining and stressful conditions.
Unfortunately, they will know only too well that they are facing even more difficult circumstances with the number of Covid patients expected to double over the next two weeks.
We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the staff who are working above and beyond to help their patients.
The relentless nature of this pandemic means that exhausted people are being asked to dig even deeper in order to protect the wider community.
Those of us who are not healthcare workers can still play our part. We can help the health service by adhering to the latest regulations, staying at home and reducing contact with others.
We are in the midst of a grave crisis. This is not a time for pushing the boundaries of the lockdown.
