People moving on ‘as if Covid never existed’

For mother-of-two Charmaine Dodds, Covid will never truly be over.

On 2 April last year she lost her husband Lee to the virus, days after his 32nd birthday. He had not yet been invited for his first vaccine appointment but apart from having asthma she says he was strong, fit and healthy.

Mrs Dodds is full of praise for the doctors and nurses who treated Mr Dodds at Ayr and Crosshouse hospitals but she has questions and queries about the quality of his care before he was taken in, specifically asking why it took six days from the moment he first sought help to his being admitted to hospital.

"I've got to cuddle my kids to sleep every night crying for their dad," she says. "You're trying to grieve, but you're trying to help your children as well and trying to put on a brave face. I think that's what's hard."

Mrs Dodds is worried about ending all legal restrictions now and in some respects she thinks First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was not cautious enough - blaming a decision to reopen the nursery where she worked last Spring for her family contracting Covid in the first place.

"I feel quite nervous knowing the fact that everywhere is opening up," she adds.

In a statement, NHS Ayrshire & Arran said patient confidentiality meant they could not comment on individual cases, adding "we would encourage anyone with any concerns about the care or treatment provided to contact us directly".