The family of a grandfather who died from coronavirus has said Covid deniers should ‘spend five minutes on a hospital ward’ and watch people fight for their lives.
Ken Morgans, 76, died at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital with coronavirus last week after going in with mild symptoms on January 2.
His son-in-law Darren Buttrick, 49, was himself in intensive care last year with coronavirus. given just 15 minutes to say goodbye to his family in March while he was in intensive care with the virus.
Despite being given just 15 minutes to say goodbye to his family while in hospital, he made a full recovery.
Ken Morgans (pictured with his daughter Angela), 76, died from coronavirus at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital last week
His son-in-law Darren Buttrick (pictured), 49, was given just 15 minutes to say goodbye to his family in March while he was in intensive care with the virus
Since his full recovery, Mr Buttrick has been donating his blood to help research into coronavirus
Mr Buttrick told Sky News: ‘It is real and it’s really disappointing and frustrating that people think it isn’t.
‘They should just spend five minutes on a hospital ward, see those people fighting for their life, fighting for breath alone, no dignity’.
Ms Buttrick’s wife Angela revealed that her father, Mr Morgans, died after he told doctors he could no longer tolerate having an oxygen mask forcing air into his body.
Ms Buttrick’s wife Angela (pictured) revealed that her father, Mr Morgans, died after he told doctors he could no longer tolerate having an oxygen mask forcing air into his body
The family, from Coven in Staffordshire, said doctors suspect Mr Morgans died from the new fast-spreading variant of the virus.
Mr Morgans’ granddaughter, Maia, paid tribute to her ‘best friend’ grandfather.
She added: ‘It was horrible. People need to be careful. We didn’t do anything for that to come to us, yet it still came twice.’
Britain yesterday recorded a further 529 Covid deaths – marking a 30 per cent rise on the 407 reported on the same day last week. It is also the deadliest Monday since April 20 when 570 people lost their lives
Since his full recovery, Mr Buttrick has been donating his blood to help research into coronavirus.
It comes as No 10 has received pressure to increase the social distancing gap to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Leading members of the Sage scientific advisory panel want the measure raised from ‘one metre plus’ to ‘two metres plus’.
Boris Johnson is under pressure from members of the Sage scientific advisory panel to increase the social distancing gap to stop the spread of coronavirus
In practice this would change the limit to three metres – nearly 10ft. The drastic proposal came as a furious Matt Hancock denounced individuals who flout social distancing rules.
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference the Health Secretary said that he would ‘not rule out further action if needed.’
He was backed by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, who sits on Sage and said it was time to ‘double down’ on Covid curbs – including outdoor contact.
Asked if a three-metre rule would be imposed in England, a Downing Street spokesman said last night: ‘There are no current plans to change social distancing rules. However, everything is kept under review.’
It came as the country recorded a further 529 Covid deaths on Monday – marking a 30 per cent rise on the 407 reported on the same day last week.
It was the deadliest Monday since April 20 when 570 people lost their lives and it marked the worst week for deaths in Britain since the pandemic began. An average of 931 people have lost their lives on each of the past seven days, compared to the highest seven-day average of 920 in April’s first wave.
But, in a positive sign that the UK’s soaring case load may be leveling out, 46,169 people tested positive for the virus – down 20 per cent in a week.