Nurse catches virus from hospital patient

Langholm woman had sore throat, cough and was short of breath

A LANGHOLM nurse, who works at the Cumberland
Infirmary in Carlisle, is recovering from the coronavirus after being infected at work.
Pam Stewart, who lives in Henry Street with husband,Gordon, a lorry driver, is deputy sister in the cardiology department at the city hospital.
Her department is a clean area, free from COVID-19, so the staff don’t wear personal protective clothing.
Pam said: “A week last Saturday I took the dog for a walk but felt really tired so I didn’t go as far.
“In the afternoon my temperature started going up and I felt like I had flu.
“I got tested on Monday and got my result the next day so it was an anxious wait. Several others at work tested positive.”
She added: “It felt like flu and made me a bit short of breath. I had a sore throat, a cough and headache and was tired but my temperature came down.”
Pam was advised by her work to self-isolate for seven days and because Gordon was at home, he had to self-isolate for 14 days.
The cardiology department is not meant to have any patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
Pam said: “We were sent a patient who had tested negative but then developed symptoms so was tested again and came back positive.
“The staff looking after him for those two to three days did not wear any protective gear and it’s gone through all of us, about 10 to 12 people, and they’ve all been off work.”
Pam is due to return to work on Saturday but she has exposed Gordon to the virus so he will likely get it.
“We’ve had people doing shopping for us and we’ve been getting deliveries. Gordon’s nephew, Hayden Goodfellow, has helped them and my parents-in-law have looked after the dog.”
Pam’s daughter, Ellice Brannan, works in the intensive care unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and, for her, the hardest part of her job is the fact that families can’t visit their loved ones in hospital.

Family life has changed considerably for Louise and Chris Tait and their children, Christopher and Danny of Holmwood Drive, Langholm.
Louise is a learning assistant at the school but is going in only once a week now. Her husband works for a builder in Ecclefechan so isn’t currently working, while Christopher is going to work at Cochran Boilers which is supplying the Nightingale field hospital in London.
Danny is in S4 at the academy and was due to sit his National 5 exams.
Louise said: “Chris has been furloughed which is good; we are not feeling anxious about paying our mortgage. I’m receiving my normal pay.
“We’re looking after our mothers and shopping for them and I’ve put my name down to help with the meals on wheels at the day centre but haven’t been called on yet.
“We do shop locally but, because we have two hungry boys, I go to Asda and use Kirkup’s and Cochranes Nurseries.”
The whole family took part in the Langholm Youth Rugby video.
Louise said: “You just have to make the best of a bad situation and stay healthy. Since the lockdown, the weather has been amazing.”