Devastated Son Tells How He Punched Hole in Bathroom Door to Reach Nurse Father, 57, Who Died ‘Gasping for Air’ After Having Just ‘Flimsy Apron and No Mask’ to Treat Coronavirus Patient

A devastated son has described how he punched a hole in a bathroom door to reach his NHS nurse father who died alone at his home after he picked up coronavirus when treating a patient in London.

Thomas Harvey, 57, worked for the NHS for more than 20 years at Goodmayes Hospital in east London and had to self-isolate after catching the virus.

The father-of-seven, died ‘gasping for air’ at the family home in east London on Sunday, having collapsed in the bathroom.

His son, also named Thomas, described having to punch a hole in the door as he and other family members made desperate attempts to get to the 57-year-old.

He said efforts to provide protective equipment to healthcare staff and to roll out Covid-19 testing were much too slow.

Mr Harvey, 24, said: ‘Why has it taken so long? Why have we had to lose my dad, and similar situations, for you (the Government) to take action?

‘It is frustrating to think that a situation like this could have been prevented with the correct care from the Government.’

He said the grandfather-of-three had been given only ‘gloves and a flimsy apron’ to protect himself from infection, and had isolated himself at home after beginning to show symptoms of the virus a few weeks ago.

Despite paramedics being called out when his condition worsened around a week before his death, he was not admitted to hospital or tested for the virus, a decision the family were surprised by.

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Source: Daily Mail