In October 1916, reflecting on nursing equipment shortages on the Romanian Front, British nurse Yvonne Fitzroy noted, “What we haven’t got we invent, and what we can’t invent, we do without”.

Back in March, Kayla Williams, a Black British woman from South London, died. Only a day after calling 999. Even though her symptoms were serious and clearly suggested a Covid-19 infection, the paramedics ranked her case as “not a priority”.