‘Boris must go’ insists sister of tragic Donna
THE grieving sister of a Valley teacher who died of Covid after her employer flouted Covid rules at the height of the pandemic has called for the Prime Minister to be sacked.
Programme leader Donna Coleman, from Crawshawbooth, was worried for her safety when students returned to college following the first lockdown in September 2020 – but ‘frightened’ to speak out about the Covid rulebreaking that was rife at Burnley College.
The 42-year-old died from Covid on January 6, 2021, with her sisters holding her hands as her life support machines were switched off at
Royal Preston Hospital. Donna’s sister Vicki said Boris Johnson should not be allowed to carry on as Prime Minister.
She said: “As a family that has lost, I feel so sad that the people who set the rules and guidelines are the ones who broke them. I feel that they should all be accountable for their actions.
“Every employer has a duty of care to their employees, so to encourage or allow staff to party whilst the whole world is told they have to self-isolate is just criminal.
“I feel that any senior leaders that allow this should face consequences and be dismissed from a leadership role as it definitely does not demonstrate good leadership.”
Donna had no known underlying health conditions but was rushed to hospital on December 29 with breathing problems.
She messaged Vicki on New Year’s Day – promising to FaceTime her the next day. By then, she was already on a ventilator.
A report by the Health and Safety Executive last week into her death found the college failed to ‘meet social distancing and ventilation requirements’ in an office that Donna shared with two colleagues – even after one tested positive. It found staff at the further education college were encouraged to not report their ‘close contacts’ if they caught Covid, while a Christmas party for staff was held when there was a ban on gatherings, on the same day as the Downing
Street bash.
The University and College Union which supported Donna’s family in bringing the case, said the school had ‘endangered’ the lives of staff and students.