Portsmouth girl, 15, dies of Covid on day she was due jab

Jorja died on the day she was due to have her first Covid-19 vaccination, her mother said

A 15-year-old girl has died from Covid-19 on the day she was due to be vaccinated.

Jorja Halliday, from Portsmouth, died at the Queen Alexandra Hospital on Tuesday, four days after she received a positive PCR test result.

Her mother, Tracey Halliday, 40, said the GCSE student was a "loving girl, talented kickboxer and aspiring musician".

Jorja had cancelled her vaccine appointment because she was isolating.

Tracey Halliday said her daughter was "very active" and loved spending time with her friends and family

Ms Halliday said her daughter's death was "heart-wrenching" but she praised hospital staff who did "everything they could to save her".

She explained that Jorja developed flu-like symptoms the weekend before she died.

She took a PCR test which was positive so she began to isolate at home on Saturday 25 September.

Jorja's symptoms continued to worsen and by Monday she couldn't eat because her throat hurt, at which point she was given antibiotics.

Ms Halliday said her daughter's condition worsened and when she was seen by a doctor they admitted her to hospital because her heart rate was "double what it should have been".

Paying tribute to her daughter, Ms Halliday said she was a "loving girl" and "beautiful young lady"

She said: "They realised how serious it was and I was still allowed to touch her, hold her hand, hug her and everything else. They did allow me that.

"I'm at the point where I can't comprehend that it's happened. I was with her the whole time."

Hospital staff tried to put Jorja on a ventilator so her body could recover, but Ms Halliday said her heart rate didn't stabilise and "couldn't take the strain".

Ms Halliday confirmed her daughter had no underlying health conditions.

Preliminary results after she was admitted to hospital indicated Jorja had Covid myocarditis, heart inflammation caused by the virus.

Jorja was the eldest of five siblings and "loved spending time with her brothers and sisters"

Jorja, the eldest of five siblings, was described by her mother as a "loving girl" who had lots of friends.

Ms Halliday added: "Growing up she turned into a beautiful young lady, always wanting to help others, always there for everybody.

"It's heart-wrenching because your kids are always meant to outlive you, and that's the one thing I can't get over."