‘Elderly were left to die’

Care assistant lost father

Carl Nunnerley, 48, a personal assistant for people with disabilities, from Denton in Manchester, lost his father James, 84, to Covid in May 2020. He was only able to visit him behind a window during his final weeks at St Mary’s Home in Moston because of the restrictions.

Mr Nunnerley said: “I knew something was wrong from day one because, even watching what was happening in Italy, to what was happening in the country, I knew people had to be tested to see what was going on.

“When my dad got Covid in his nursing home, I spoke with the manager and he told me that he had to take patients in from the hospital who were not tested and also some care staff from agencies who were working in different care homes across Manchester. And not once were they tested until it was too late.

“I knew myself, then, that’s how it spread through the care homes. We had all seen what happened in Italy, so we knew it was contagious.

“It makes me feel so angry, and they let so many older people down and left them to die in a horrible way.

“The Government needs to be accountable, and Matt Hancock.”