Journalism Matters: How we've covered coronavirus in Watford

During the coronavirus pandemic, journalists have been tasked with seeking clarity, seeking to combat the rapid spread of misinformation and bring worried residents information they can trust.

We have also helped to combat the inevitable isolation and concern caused by months of lockdown and separation in our communities.

And amidst all the tragedy that we have suffered over the past few months in Watford, we have also been sure to shine a spotlight on the incredible communities and volunteers who stepped up at a time in need to support the vulnerable and those on the frontline.

Here at the Observer, while adapting to a rapidly changing news agenda and different working environment, we’ve tried our best day after day to bring you the news that matter most, whether it is coronavirus-related or not.

But it is a job we have taken, and continue to take, seriously.

On #trustednewsday, we’ve taken a look back at some of the stories we’ve told over the pandemic in what has been an unprecedented time for us all.

The Watford area was thrown right into the deep end of Covid-19 when schools closed after students returned from trips abroad with the virus.

So little was known at that time about what impact Covid-19 could have on us all and it was important for us to uncover where isolated cases were.

Little did we know at the time that the virus would dominate our news agenda for months on end, and impact on our own lives, as well as our readers’.

And when we were plunged into lockdown, we promised to be #ThereWithYou, informing the public on the latest cases and promising to highlight the inevitable positive community initiatives.

With heavy hearts, we reported on the tragic deaths of doctors, healthcare assistants, and families’ loved ones.

We were astounded by the bravery and courage shown by two daughters.

Freya described her mother Sara Trollope, a hospital matron, as her “rock and best friend”, while Sumaiyah paid an incredible tribute to her “selfless” father Khalid Jamil, who worked at Watford General.

Watford General Hospital suffered during the peak of the pandemic. It was one of the region’s busiest hospitals with as many as 200 Covid-19 patients needing attention.

During the initial wave of the pandemic, there was a level of uncertainty and concern with how deadly the virus was, and if it could be kept under control.

That is why various NHS members from Watford General were quick to act as whistleblowers to what was happening behind the scenes – and felt it was important to voice their fears of PPE shortages to the Observer.

The hospital was in the national headlines on April 4 when a critical incident was declared – initially we warned people they needed to stay away from hospital.

Then later, we reported that the oxygen system was running at maximum capacity and the ageing estate was struggling to cope – highlighting how desperately Watford General needs investment – which we now know it is going to get.

It wasn’t just the hospitals in crisis.

Care homes were badly hit in Hertfordshire, and uncovering the true scale of Covid-19 on them had never been so important.

Whether it was highlighting concerns around PPE or the rate of deaths, we ensured we carried out responsible journalism to find the truth.

In one case, we found 19 people in a 65 bed care home were suspected of dying of Covid-19 in just a month after concerns of deaths and PPE were raised by a worker.

We also ensured that we looked at ONS and government figures to give readers an accurate picture of how coronavirus was affecting care homes in our area.

But there were survivors stories too that we shared – some who bravely told of their struggles against the virus while others wanted people to know that Covid-19 can be successfully fought.

As NHS staff battled away, risking their own lives for others, the nation showed its gratitude with the weekly Clap for Carers, while staff locally were inundated with gifts and goods donated by communities and charities.

Meanwhile, schools like Merchant Taylors in Moor Park took advantage of its state-of-the-art 3D technology to create face shields while residents spent their time making face masks to donate to charities and hospitals.

So many others, including local businessmen and women like Winston Davis offering free heating repairs for the elderly, greengrocer Ross Hampton from Ross Co delivering free supplies to the elderly and vulnerable, Melinda Ward who set up the Watford Covid-19 Support Group, Watford Council's Covid-19 campaign that raised more than £150,000, the incredible partnership between Watford FC and Watford General, the volunteers who signed up to support the hospital - and so many more organisations and individuals that we could name.

Greengrocer Ross Hampton made home deliveries for the elderly and vulnerable

Kerri-Rose Cupit delivered food to people self-isolating

It was so important to us to shine a spotlight on Watford’s caring communities as part of our ‘We Love Watford’ feature that we continue to publish in the Observer every single week.

Although our focus has as always been on Watford and the surrounding towns and villages, with Government advice and restrictions changing on an almost daily basis, we’ve also covered the national news which affects you the most.

The Observer has given regular updates on death totals in west Hertfordshire, thankfully less and less frequently, and on the number of cases in boroughs, Hertfordshire, and beyond.

Right now, with cases on the rise, we're trying to get to the bottom of the true situation in Hertsmere - where cases look high, but may actually be a lot lower due to university students potentially "skewing" the figures.

We’ve updated you on schools reopening, like when we visited Lanchester Community Free School to show readers what parents measures they should expect to see when their child returns.

We’ve kept you informed on the latest restrictions in the hospitality sector and the economic impacts of the pandemic in the region and further afield.

We’ve sung the praises of community champions and promoted local businesses through our Watford Love Local Business and My Favourite Shop campaigns. And we will continue to do so.

In March, we joined forces with our sister Newsquest titles and launched our NHS Guardian Angels campaign, with our kind-hearted readers kindly donating thousands to NHS Charities Together.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our loyal readers.

Times are tough for newspapers as they are for most businesses across the UK.

But we’ll be here, bringing you local news you can trust, as long as you need us.

And in these trying and changing times, we believe we’re needed more than ever.