Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HEALTHY BOY OF 13 DIES WITH VIRUS
Family’s tributes to lad with no underlying health conditions
A BOY of 13 has become the youngest person in the UK to die with coronavirus.
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahabhas was a “healthy” boy with no known existing illness.
His family in Brixton, South London, said: “We are beyond devastated. To our knowledge he had no underlying health
DESPERATE NHS staff battling the coronavirus crisis have written to Boris Johnson demanding proper protective equipment, as deaths again soared yesterday.
A letter signed by 15,000 medics called on the PM to provide the same masks, goggles, gowns and gloves as workers in other countries.
The heartfelt plea came as the death toll rose by 381 to 1,789.
And Britain still trails behind comparable nations for the number of people offered Covid-19 tests. All but a few hundred NHS staff are being denied them so many are being forced off work as a precaution.
A quarter of hospital doctors are believed to now be self-isolating at home, placing even greater strain on the already stretched NHS. Three medics have died from Covid-19.
Guidance issued by NHS England and Public Health England about protective equipment differs from the World Health Organisation.
It says frontline workers need goggles only in procedures most likely to generate virus-carrying aerosols, such as inserting a breathing tube.
The doctors’ letter said: “We have never needed NHS workers more as we fight the spread of coronavirus. But the
UK Government is not adhering to the WHO’S guidelines on personal protection equipment.
“This means hundreds of thousands of NHS workers do not have adequate masks, goggles, gowns and gloves as we tackle this escalating crisis. A lack of PPE is putting workers in danger.”
Doctors told how they are struggling along without proper equipment.
One said: “Covid-19 receiving unit in the largest hospital in my region has almost no supply of long-sleeved gowns and minimal visors/goggles.” Another, based in the North West, added: “I’m assessing suspected and confirmed cases with only a surgical mask, sleeveless apron and gloves.”
A Gloucestershire consultant said: “Our ward covers confirmed Covid-19 positive patients. I was on it all weekend. We only have plastic aprons, gloves and surgical masks.”
The letter was drafted by grassroots organisation Everydoctor and signed by 10,000 members of the public.
WHO said all staff dealing with coronavirus should wear a medical mask, gloves, gown and eye protection.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer for
England, Dr Jenny Harries, insisted the UK has always had “sufficient stocks [of PPE] against its guidelines and those guidelines are amongst the best in the world”.
She said: “The underlying critical point is that PPE should go to match where the critical, clinical risk is.”
Cabinet minister Michael Gove said the latest death rise was “deeply shocking” – but was unable to say when the peak would come.
He added: “It depends on the actions of all of us. We can delay that peak through our own particular actions.”
NHS England’s national medical director, Stephen Powis, warned the
UK would “unfortunately” see a further rise in deaths over the next few weeks.
But he revealed the number of new infections was not rising as rapidly as it had been – and was showing signs of plateauing. Mr Powis added: “These are green shoots, but only green shoots. We must not be complacent and we must not take our foot off the pedal.”
The latest death total includes 40 extra which took place in homes or care homes that were added after being collated from death certificates.
Mr Johnson, who has coronavirus, looked dishevelled when chairing a virtual Cabinet meeting yesterday.
Only around 8,000 virus tests are
being carried out daily, despite the PM’S promise weeks ago to increase this to 25,000. That number is now not expected to be met until the end of April. Britain also lags Germany in working towards a “game changing” antibody test which could get people back to work. It would tell if you have had the virus and so are likely to be immune. Germany said it is trialling 100,000 tests while the UK is yet to approve one. Wales health minister Vaughan Gething told of his fury after a deal to provide an extra 5,000 tests a day collapsed. Just over 1,000 checks are taking place in the country daily. Mr Gething said: “There is no getting away from the fact that those additional tests that we were due to have would have made a difference. Precious time has been lost and countless lives may now be at greater risk.” He refused to name the firm the deal was with. Around 2,800 doctors, nurses and paramedics from abroad will have visas extended so they can stay to fight the virus.
Shoppers can make contactless card payments with a limit of up to £45 from today, to combat fears about catching the virus from cash.
Many fuel stations will have to close due to a lack of sales, the Petrol Retailers Association warned.
Airline union chiefs are demanding all flight crew bringing stranded Brits home are given protective suits. martin.bagot@mirror.co.uk @Martinbagot