Latest news with #Covid-19
South Wales Argus
31 minutes ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Woman who lost both parents to Covid recalls ‘cruel' Downing Street party photos
Rhona Arthur was giving evidence at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Wednesday on behalf of Scottish Covid Bereaved. The inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, is in its final week of hearings examining the impact of the pandemic on the care sector. Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father William and mother Violet were both living in the same care home in Scotland when the pandemic began in 2020. She explained her mother had moved into the care home following a long stay in hospital in 2017, and some time later her father had chosen to move into the same home. 'They were devoted to each other,' Ms Arthur said. 'They were a pair of bookends, and one was not very helpful without the other, so he chose to move into the nursing home beside her.' Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father tested positive for Covid-19 on April 30, 2020 after developing a 'slight temperature', and was admitted to hospital the same day. She recalled speaking with him on the phone that afternoon and that he was doing 'quite well', but within hours he began to deteriorate. He died in hospital a few days later on May 3, 2020 aged 90. She told the inquiry she had 'no other option' but to break the news of his death to her mother over the phone, and a member of staff at the care home had sat with her to provide 'emotional support'. Her mother then tested positive for Covid-19 on May 9, and Ms Arthur said as she was going into the crematorium for her father's funeral on May 18, the care home called to say her mother's health was a 'cause for concern'. Two days later, she said, she got another call to say her mother's oxygen levels had 'dropped', and the home had offered an end-of-life visit. Rhona Arthur (Scottish Covid Bereaved) gave evidence to the Inquiry today. You can view it on the live stream (and via playback) through our YouTube channel 📺 now 👇 — UK Covid-19 Inquiry (@covidinquiryuk) July 30, 2025 She said she 'paused' to pass on the news to other family members, but less than half-an-hour later the care home called again to say her mother had died, aged 93. Asked about the impact the double bereavement had had on her and her family, Ms Arthur said: 'For a long time, I described it as being like a house with the roof ripped off, because that's just that kind of idea about how empty and devastating a double loss is. 'It's very difficult to talk to people about. 'People say, 'what happened to you during Covid?' You cannot just say to somebody, 'well, actually, both my parents died within a fortnight.' 'It's a complete and utter and devastating blow in a conversation.' She was also asked about the impact of seeing photos of a Downing Street drinks party held on the day her mother died. 'It just felt so cruel that we had done all the right things, that we had followed all the rules, down to the funerals, to then see that,' Ms Arthur said. 'And of course, that picture is regularly reprinted, which means that it just brings that terrible day back all the time.' The inquiry continues.
South Wales Guardian
31 minutes ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Woman who lost both parents to Covid recalls ‘cruel' Downing Street party photos
Rhona Arthur was giving evidence at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Wednesday on behalf of Scottish Covid Bereaved. The inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, is in its final week of hearings examining the impact of the pandemic on the care sector. Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father William and mother Violet were both living in the same care home in Scotland when the pandemic began in 2020. She explained her mother had moved into the care home following a long stay in hospital in 2017, and some time later her father had chosen to move into the same home. 'They were devoted to each other,' Ms Arthur said. 'They were a pair of bookends, and one was not very helpful without the other, so he chose to move into the nursing home beside her.' Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father tested positive for Covid-19 on April 30, 2020 after developing a 'slight temperature', and was admitted to hospital the same day. She recalled speaking with him on the phone that afternoon and that he was doing 'quite well', but within hours he began to deteriorate. He died in hospital a few days later on May 3, 2020 aged 90. She told the inquiry she had 'no other option' but to break the news of his death to her mother over the phone, and a member of staff at the care home had sat with her to provide 'emotional support'. Her mother then tested positive for Covid-19 on May 9, and Ms Arthur said as she was going into the crematorium for her father's funeral on May 18, the care home called to say her mother's health was a 'cause for concern'. Two days later, she said, she got another call to say her mother's oxygen levels had 'dropped', and the home had offered an end-of-life visit. Rhona Arthur (Scottish Covid Bereaved) gave evidence to the Inquiry today. You can view it on the live stream (and via playback) through our YouTube channel 📺 now 👇 — UK Covid-19 Inquiry (@covidinquiryuk) July 30, 2025 She said she 'paused' to pass on the news to other family members, but less than half-an-hour later the care home called again to say her mother had died, aged 93. Asked about the impact the double bereavement had had on her and her family, Ms Arthur said: 'For a long time, I described it as being like a house with the roof ripped off, because that's just that kind of idea about how empty and devastating a double loss is. 'It's very difficult to talk to people about. 'People say, 'what happened to you during Covid?' You cannot just say to somebody, 'well, actually, both my parents died within a fortnight.' 'It's a complete and utter and devastating blow in a conversation.' She was also asked about the impact of seeing photos of a Downing Street drinks party held on the day her mother died. 'It just felt so cruel that we had done all the right things, that we had followed all the rules, down to the funerals, to then see that,' Ms Arthur said. 'And of course, that picture is regularly reprinted, which means that it just brings that terrible day back all the time.' The inquiry continues.
ITV News
31 minutes ago
- Health
- ITV News
Covid Inquiry: Care home manager who lost three residents in one day details 'hardest day of career'
A care home manager in the Vale of Glamorgan has described the day she lost three residents to Covid-19 as the "hardest day" of her career. Springbank Care Home manager Navjit Kaur, who was then working as the home's Clinical Lead, said staff were given "no support" and "no guidance" at the start of the pandemic. It comes as the Covid-19 Inquiry has been hearing from experts in the care sector and bereaved families from Wales. Professor Stephen Barclay, an expert in end-of-life and palliative care, told the Inquiry that care home managers "struggled with the almost daily changes in guidance and advice and regulations". The Inquiry is coming to the end of its current module, which has focussed on the pandemic's impact on the adult care sector. Reflecting on the start of the pandemic, Ms Kaur said it was a "scary" and "traumatic" experience for colleagues and residents said: "We didn't know what to do. There was no guidance, there was no advice. We didn't have enough PPE. We had only gloves and aprons, but we didn't have provision of masks. "Every day was a challenge," Ms Kaur added. Prof. Stephen Barclay also told the Inquiry that his research found that a failure to prioritise end-of-life care may have contributed to shortages of equipment, medicines, and staff. He said the result was that many dying people did not receive the care that they needed, and "died with avoidable symptoms and distress". Ms Kaur went on to discuss the "mental trauma" she experienced upon learning a friend, who was also a care home worker and the same age as her, had passed away from Covid. She added: "The emotional impact that we all have had, I don't think I can get over all my life." Ms Kaur said that guidance did improve after a couple of months when local government and Public Health Wales started getting more involved and issuing further advice to care homes. Wednesday's (30 July) Inquiry discussions come after the former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, previously admitted Wales was 'not as prepared as it could have been' for a pandemic. Mr Drakeford gave evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry in 2023, during which he said that the UK-wide strategy for dealing with a civil emergency – which the Welsh Government relied on – was 'inadequate' and 'did not stand up to its major test'. He had also echoed the evidence of other Welsh Government officials, saying resources seemed to have been diverted away from pandemic planning because of the need to prepare for the threat of a no-deal Brexit. However, he went on to defend the devolved administration's position when asked if there were 'significant failings' to address gaps in pandemic preparedness, claiming such an assessment was 'unduly bleak'.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Baba Vanga Japan Tsunami Prediction: Here's all about what he said over powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake
Who is Japanese Baba Vanga and his Predictions? Baba Vanga Japan Tsunami Prediction July 2025 Live Events Earthquake and Tsunami Hit Japan Japan Tsunami Warning Mixed Reactions on Social Media Experts Reject Baba Vanga Japan Tsunami Prediction Claims Impact on Tourism and Public Response FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The earthquake struck near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday. The tremor sent tsunami waves toward northern Japan and Russia's Kuril Islands. This natural event has sparked renewed interest in a prediction made in 1999 by Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki . Known by some as the 'Japanese Baba Vanga,' Tatsuki had warned of a large undersea crack near Japan that could trigger a massive tsunami. The coincidence has led to widespread social media 1999, artist Ryo Tatsuki released a manga titled Watashi ga Mita Mirai (The Future I Saw). In the manga, Tatsuki documented visions from her dreams. These included predictions of global events. Some fans believe her dreams have accurately forecasted the deaths of Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury, the Covid-19 outbreak, and the 2011 Japan earthquake She wrote about a crack forming under the sea between Japan and the Philippines. This, she said, would cause tsunami waves three times larger than those in in 2025, attention grew around a warning related to July, particularly July 5. Many believed a major event might occur on that date. When nothing significant happened, public interest during that time, there were small earthquakes near Japan's Tokara Islands and an eruption from a dormant volcano. These events did not cause major damage, but they gained the recent earthquake and tsunami alerts, people online are revisiting the July prediction. Some now say Tatsuki's vision was simply a few weeks 8.8-magnitude earthquake occurred near Petropavlovsk, Russia. It is among the ten strongest earthquakes ever recorded. Japan's Hokkaido region and Russia's Kuril Islands were meteorological agency reported a 1.3-metre tsunami hitting a port in Iwate. Nearly two million residents were urged to evacuate to higher evacuees moved by car or on foot. Beaches emptied. People climbed rooftops for safety. Transport services, including trains and ferries, were suspended in some confirmed there were no irregularities at nuclear facilities. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that the tsunami threat may last for media users have shared mixed views. Many linked the earthquake and tsunami to Tatsuki's prophecy. A post on X read, 'Not the exact date, but you have to respect Ryo Tatsuki.'Another stated, 'Ryo Tatsuki's July prophecy is happening. Tsunami waves have hit. She was right again.'Hashtags like #July5Disaster were trending in Japan. Some fans called her the 'New Baba Vanga,' referring to the Bulgarian mystic famous for her world predictions.A third user posted, 'Even though it wasn't exactly on July 5, the prediction is happening. Ryo Tatsuki's vision was real.'Scientists have denied any link between dreams and earthquakes. Professor Sekiya Naoya from Tokyo University said such claims lack evidence and cannot be scientifically authorities had earlier advised people not to take predictions like these seriously. Officials said that no scientific method exists to predict earthquakes through dreams or prophecy also had an economic impact. Travel data showed that flight bookings from Hong Kong to Japan dropped by 83% from late June to early July. This occurred before the earthquake and Japanese public continues to stay alert. Evacuations continue, and authorities are monitoring the situation closely. Warnings remain in place for coastal Tatsuki's manga described a tsunami near Japan in July. Many now believe her vision came true, although it was not on the exact predicted confirm earthquakes cannot be predicted through dreams. They warn against relying on unscientific sources for natural disaster forecasts.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
Woman who lost both parents to Covid recalls ‘cruel' Downing Street party photos
Rhona Arthur was giving evidence at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Wednesday on behalf of Scottish Covid Bereaved. The inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, is in its final week of hearings examining the impact of the pandemic on the care sector. Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father William and mother Violet were both living in the same care home in Scotland when the pandemic began in 2020. She explained her mother had moved into the care home following a long stay in hospital in 2017, and some time later her father had chosen to move into the same home. 'They were devoted to each other,' Ms Arthur said. 'They were a pair of bookends, and one was not very helpful without the other, so he chose to move into the nursing home beside her.' Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father tested positive for Covid-19 on April 30, 2020 after developing a 'slight temperature', and was admitted to hospital the same day. She recalled speaking with him on the phone that afternoon and that he was doing 'quite well', but within hours he began to deteriorate. He died in hospital a few days later on May 3, 2020 aged 90. She told the inquiry she had 'no other option' but to break the news of his death to her mother over the phone, and a member of staff at the care home had sat with her to provide 'emotional support'. Her mother then tested positive for Covid-19 on May 9, and Ms Arthur said as she was going into the crematorium for her father's funeral on May 18, the care home called to say her mother's health was a 'cause for concern'. Two days later, she said, she got another call to say her mother's oxygen levels had 'dropped', and the home had offered an end-of-life visit. Rhona Arthur (Scottish Covid Bereaved) gave evidence to the Inquiry today. You can view it on the live stream (and via playback) through our YouTube channel 📺 now 👇 — UK Covid-19 Inquiry (@covidinquiryuk) July 30, 2025 She said she 'paused' to pass on the news to other family members, but less than half-an-hour later the care home called again to say her mother had died, aged 93. Asked about the impact the double bereavement had had on her and her family, Ms Arthur said: 'For a long time, I described it as being like a house with the roof ripped off, because that's just that kind of idea about how empty and devastating a double loss is. 'It's very difficult to talk to people about. 'People say, 'what happened to you during Covid?' You cannot just say to somebody, 'well, actually, both my parents died within a fortnight.' 'It's a complete and utter and devastating blow in a conversation.' She was also asked about the impact of seeing photos of a Downing Street drinks party held on the day her mother died. 'It just felt so cruel that we had done all the right things, that we had followed all the rules, down to the funerals, to then see that,' Ms Arthur said. 'And of course, that picture is regularly reprinted, which means that it just brings that terrible day back all the time.' The inquiry continues.
