‘Why wasn’t lockdown brought in earlier?’
Woman calls for public inquiry into how Government has handled the pandemic after mum dies with virus
A Sunderland woman has joined a call for a public inquiry into how the Governmenthas handled the ongoing coronavirus pandemic after her mum died suddenly in a care home.
Sylvia Griffiths died on April 12 in a Sunderland care home and her grieving family were told she could have lost her life to COVID-19.
Now her daughter, Deborah Doyle, is among 200 families who have tragically lost loved ones calling for a public inquiry to ensure the Government’s actions are scrutinised.
The 52-year-old told the Echo she had initially received a call from her mum’s care home telling her the 76-year-old great-grandmother was breathless.
Having been prescribed antibiotics, Ms Griffiths, who did have some underlying health conditions including being prone to blood clotting, initially began to show signs of recovery but died suddenly days later.
“There is a lot of uncertainty because my mum couldn’t receive a test,” said Deborah, who has lived in Sunderland for 30 years. “The death certificate states possible COVID-19. This affected the funeral arrangements, you’re not allowed to see your loved ones.
“She’s treated as a COVID-19 death but my question is why wasn’t there a test in place at that point?”
Deborah is one of 200 people to join the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice
UK, which is leading the calls for an inquiry to ensure the Government’s actions are scrutinised.
“We have 200 voices that aren’t statistics on a graph, they’re 200 families that are absolutely broken,” said Deborah.
“We want to know why the lockdown wasn’t brought in earlier and why they’re starting to ease the lockdown so early.
“I want justice for the families, not just for my mam. She was a human being, she was a person.”
The families are being supported by Elkan Abrahamson, Director and Head of Major Inquiries at law firm Broudie Jackson Canter.
Mr Abrahamson, who was at the helm of the Hillsborough inquests, said: “The Government is in a very difficult position and has done things well and has made mistakes.
“It’s not about attacking the Government, it’s to find out why they took the steps they did.”