This article contains spoilers for Breathtaking episode 1, "Containment". Breathtaking is a hard-hitting ITV medical drama starring Downton Abbey's Joanne Froggatt as acute medicine consultant, Dr. Abbey Henderson, and we see the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic through her eyes as it unfolds at her inner-city hospital.
Breathtaking episode 1 deals with the period leading up to the first lockdown, illustrating how the pressure on the NHS built exponentially once the virus arrived in the UK. Here's a full recap of what happened in Breathtaking episode 1.
First cases
The episode opens with Abbey trying on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) but failing her gear test. This is intercut with archival footage and quotes from politicians arriving at Downing Street, along with a note detailing how the series is based on real experiences of NHS staff and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 3, 2020, Abbey arrives at work and is directed through a new "service entrance". The hospital is already full of patients, but after receiving a briefing from fellow doctor, Ant, Emma (Donna Banya) calls her into a cupboard to assist her with an elderly patient, Mr Williams who is struggling to breathe.
He has no travel history and has been otherwise well, and he's taken off by some other workers. Soon thereafter, another Dr. Joanne Alba approaches Abbey: they have their first suspected COVID-19 patient, who has been brought straight to the hospital from Heathrow after flying in from China.
They go to the hospital's "Hot Zone" and begin putting on PPE together. Abbey reveals she failed her second PPE fit test, too. And whilst the doctors do their best to help him, we later find out that they lost him in resus.
Archie Williams is taken up to a ward and is to be assessed by ITU workers; Chantelle, another NHS staff member, expresses some concern to Abbey that he could have the same virus.
Next, we see Abbey and several other doctors on a conference call with a doctor from Lombardy. The Italian doctor warns just how bad things have gotten, and how they'll need far more resources than they currently have. He concludes by telling them the virus is always going to be ahead of them, no matter how prepared they may be.
On March 5, 2020 (18 days before lockdown), Dr. Ant Vyas sees a new patient, Mr Ahmad. He doesn't feel breathless but has a cough. Ant goes to retrieve some PPE, but he's told the protective gear is only available to Hot Zone clinicians. He grabs some regular face masks, gives one to Emma, and then moves Mr Ahmad to a side room, shutting everyone else out of the room under suspicion he has the virus.
Abbey arrives to ask what's going on. Despite his symptoms, because Mr Ahmad has no travel history, the Hot Zone won't take him for treatment. Abbey goes to try and get a test for him, but she's denied it and told to follow the national Public Health England guidelines.
Abbey returns to find Ant back in the room with Mr Ahmad, as the patient is arresting. Abbey tells other workers to mask up and calls for ITU assistance as Ant continues chest compressions. When they take over, Abbey sends Ant home, as he's been exposed to a potential coronavirus case.
Changing guidance
March 7, 16 days before lockdown. Mr Williams says he's feeling better, but still has a cough. Abbey takes a moment to speak to her husband on the phone: she's worried about the virus getting to her kids, and suspects it's already in the schools.
Abbey speaks to ITU worker, Dr Ozkul; Mr Ahmad is now sick enough for a COVID test, and they're waiting for his results. Abbey questions the rules about coronavirus; together, they posit anyone could have the virus now.
The hospital has a briefing led by Dr. Mike Prentiss about their first two suspected COVID patients. Test results are not back yet, but they're being told they'll be redeploying staff where they can. Abbey corrects Mike, as Mr Ahmad's case brings the suspected COVID cases up to three, and she argues they should have PPE in Cold Zone wards, as NHS workers don't currently have any protective equipment in those zones at this point
Mike reminds them what they're following is the national guidance on containment from Public Health England. On the way out, Abbey tells Mike they should be ready to question the guidance they have, but he tells her to follow the advice they have been given.
On March 10, Dr. Ozkul tells Abbey that Mr. Ahmad's condition is deteriorating; the doctor then has to tell his wife over the phone that Yussuf won't survive and that she won't be allowed to visit him.
Emma tells Abbey that Mr. Williams is feeling better. Divina, a nurse, overhears Abbey talking about having sent Ant home. On the phone, Ant tells Abbey how rough he feels; she tells Ant Mr. Ahmad has died, but promises to try to get Ant a test (as he's not sick enough to have one yet, and has no travel history). Afterwards, Abbey spots several workers making improvised PPE in a side room, and she tells them not to start making their own kit just yet.
On March 12, Joanna called Abbey to help check on three coronavirus query patients, one of whom is already with ITU. As they prepare to mask up, a worker tells them there's been a PPE downgrade; the new guidance says they're just to use just wear the basic stuff now.
The two doctors leave the Hot Zone and Dr. Joanna tells Mike Prentiss neither she nor her team will be going back in there without proper gear. Prentiss says this downgrade is new guidance; Jo asks if they're running out of proper equipment.
Elsewhere, Prentiss has a sit-down with the hospital's CEO, relaying his doctors' fears about the lack of equipment compared to Italy. The worker says that they're not on the same curve (Prentiss says they are). He wants to know why the Department of Health is saying level three PPE is not required; she asks if he wants to take his complaint up the line, but he leaves the room.
Crisis point
Back at the hospital, Divina presents COVID-19 symptoms and says she's going home. Abbey wants to get her a test, but Divina tells her the guidance on testing has changed again: no one can get one unless they're sick enough to be admitted.
Abbey heads home from a shift and heads straight upstairs to take a shower before interacting with her kids. In the bathroom, she watches a briefing from PM Boris Johnson on her phone, wherein he warns that many families will lose loved ones. Meanwhile, Divina is seen being brought into the hospital wearing an oxygen mask.
On March 20, Abbey heads back to the hospital for a night shift. Jo tells them the public has ordered tons of pizza and PPE is coming in from other places (building firms, schools). Abbey's been called in because of staff sickness. She's told they only get level 3 PPE for resus, meaning it's obvious they're just short of proper equipment.
Dr. Ozkul attends to Divina; he tells her they're taking her to ITU, and that he will do the ventilator himself if she needs one. He's interrupted by the low oxygen flow rate alarm going off. He makes a call asking for help, stating that they're running out of beds, ventilators, and even oxygen.
Abbey tells her husband she's not going to make it home this weekend, as more patients keep arriving. She tells him not to take the kids anywhere this weekend; he asks if she's okay but there's no time to answer as Abbey has to go to ambulance bay.
There, she finds two paramedics, without any PPE, with a patient. She asks why they're not doing CPR, the paramedics explain they were told not to, as it is droplet-generating. The patient arrested en route 20 minutes ago, meaning they just had to let him go.
Worse, they tell Abbey they need her to call the time of death, as they have to get back out on the road to answer more emergency calls. She does so; seeing the queue of ambulances outside, she breaks into tears.
Abbey returns to the hospital to find it overwhelmed as more and more patients arrive. Mike Prentiss arrives, speaking to Jo about all the issues arising; he tells her Gold Command has decided to declare a critical incident. She simply says it took them long enough to do so, and he leaves.
Divina is brought into ITU where Ozkul carries out the procedure. We then end with Abbey seeing the ward reaching a critical mass of patients; exhausted, she removes her mask, and we see a new date (March 21), along with the fact that the UK did not lock down for a further 48 hours.
Breathtaking is available to stream on ITVX.
