‘My son died after he was forced to work’
THE mother of a nurse who died while caring for coronavirus patients claimed her ill son was forced to remain at work because the hospital was short staffed.
Gina Gustilo said her son John Alagos, 23, became ill while on a 12-hour shift at Watford General Hospital but was allegedly not allowed to go home because of a lack of staff.
John is feared to have contracted Covid-19 after he collapsed and died at his home in Watford on Friday night.
He complained of a headache and a high temperature throughout the night before later losing consciousness.
Gina, 50, described how she had advised her son to take paracetamol, but found him unconscious and “turning blue” in his bed moments later.
She called 999 immediately but paramedics were unable to revive the young nurse who did not have underlying health conditions.
His colleagues later told his mother how he had not been wearing adequate protective clothing, while battling the virus on the frontlines.
“They wear PPE, but not totally protective of the mouth. They wear the normal masks,” Gina added.
A spokeswoman for Watford General Hospital described the nurse as “very popular” and said he would be “missed greatly”.
She added: “Our staff are fully briefed on symptoms of Covid-19 and we would never expect anyone to remain at work if they were showing these symptoms or indeed were unwell in any way.
“We have always kept our staff updated on the latest PPE guidance to make sure they have the right level of protection.”
The day after his death, Watford General Hospital declared a critical incident after a “technical issue” with its oxygen equipment.
It urged all patients – other than women due to give birth – to go to other hospitals.
Two nurses, Aimee O’Rourke, 38, and Areema Nasreen, 36, have also died after treating patients for Covid-19.
Chief nursing officer Ruth May paid tribute to her colleagues who have died from coronavirus, adding “I worry that there is going to be more. They were one of us – of the NHS family.
“I worry that there’s going to be more and I want to honour them today and recognise their service.”