Coronavirus: Guard of honour for 'miracle' radiographer

Paul Skegg contracted Covid-19 then developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome that caused complete paralysis

A hospital radiographer who suffered a rare complication of Covid-19 that caused complete paralysis has walked out of hospital to a guard of honour.

Paul Skegg spent 11 days as a patient in intensive care at Darent Valley Hospital during which time he proposed online to his partner Katy Lavender.

Colleague Dr Jonathan Kwan said: "He thought he was [on his] last leg[s] and he took a deep breath and mouthed the proposal through his tracheotomy tube."

Ms Lavender accepted.

Mr Skegg, 42, was admitted on 3 April and later developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a very rare complication of Covid-19.

'One of our own'

He proposed to Ms Lavender, a radiographer for another NHS Trust, via FaceTime from his hospital bed.

Mr Skegg has worked for the health service for 24 years.

Dr Kwan, divisional medical director for the hospital in Kent, said: "His rapid recovery is just short of a miracle."

The hospital's neurologists had used a "groundbreaking" therapy to treat Mr Skegg, he added.

"Today, we lined the corridor for one of our own and clapped this front-line NHS staff home, following a 16-day stay at Darent Valley Hospital."

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