Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Stormont:
Fit and active Aly laid low by virus Cases: Deaths: Cases: Deaths:
A WOMAN has spoken of her sudden deterioration after contracting Covid-19 and urged others to be diligent in protecting themselves and their families.
Aly Harte, 37, from Co Down, said she went from hiking to extreme fatigue within days.
Four weeks ago, the business woman and artist noticed a strange taste in her mouth, and went for a Covid-19 test.
She said: “Within 48 hours my symptoms went from a bad taste in my mouth to me being in bed and unable to get up. I couldn’t keep a conversation and my heart was quite bad so I went to the Mater Hospital for the Covid centre, and they checked my stats.
“Thankfully it wasn’t anything other than Covid and my heart was dealing quite well with it. My oxygen levels were OK, I just had overwhelming fatigue.
“It was like the flu times 10, and every day it changed so the headache was one day, spiking temperatures was another day, this real heaviness like someone was sitting on my chest. It felt so unknown.
“Every day for seven days was brutal but I felt very well looked after between the GP and A&E.”
Ms Harte described not being able to cuddle her youngest son as one of the most challenging parts of isolating.
She said: “We have three boys, I have a business, and overnight we just had to adapt.
“I stayed in the front room and any time I went into the kitchen or food was brought up to me and left at the door, we had to disinfect. I had one bathroom, the rest of the family had another bathroom.
“Our youngest is four so he found it the most difficult because of hugs.
“Sometimes in the middle of the night he would want to come in and was rapping on the door, so that was another element of that kind of panic.
“But generally they all coped very well and thankfully didn’t have any symptoms.”
Ms Harte runs online workshops which had to be postponed for four weeks, including a children’s birthday party, which she said as a mum she found the most upsetting because of how excited the children had been for it.
She resumed the online workshops last week, but needed plenty of rest before.
Ms Harte has urged people to be diligent in protecting themselves, and emphasised that even though she has a minor underlying heart condition she was shocked when she found out she had tested positive.
She said: “There is still a lot unknown about the virus but full recovery can take as long as six months, and with my heart condition I have been referred to cardiology in case of any damage.
“I am 37, I was hiking the day before and I was cycling the day before that on my own, strong, healthy and I was knocked down.
“The boys are in school but we have hand sanitiser everywhere, my staff work from home.
“Yes, I have an underlying condition but my heart condition is minor so I would urge people to be diligent and just to really think of their families.”
CO DOWN YESTERDAY
STORMONT has given conflicting signals about when the current circuit breaker will end.
Four weeks of restrictions are due to finish on November 13 but First Mi n i s t e r A r l e n e Foster and Deputy First Minister Mi c h e l l e O’ Ne i l l appear to have issued slightly y different messages as to what will happen on that date.
Mrs Foster said despite the new national lockdown in England, Northern Ireland’s measures will end on Friday week.
She added: “Had a useful call with
Michael Gove and the other DAS. NI schools will reopen on Monday and our current restrictions wi l l end on November 13 as planned.
“We must adapt to coexist with the virus. That means increasing hospital and testing capacity.”
However, Ms O’neill’s more cautious message suggested there could be the possibility of restrictions being extended.
S h e sai d: “Th e new restrictions announced by Boris Johnson do not apply to the North.
“Current restrictions remain in place and will be reviewed by November 13. Our focus must be following guidelines