Exhausted and Vulnerable – NHS Nurse that contracted Covid-19 collapses and dies after 12-hour Shift

AN NHS nurse collapsed and died after working a 12-hour shift on the frontlines against the deadly coronavirus. Colleagues told his mother, Ms Gustilo, that her son had not been wearing adequate protective clothing.

John Alagos, 23, is believed to be the youngest medic in the UK to succumb to the devastating virus after he collapsed at work, he was a nurse at Watford General Hospital who on Saturday had asked all patients – apart from women expecting to give birth – to stay away until further notice.

His mother, Gina Gustilo, said her son had fallen ill during a 12-hour shift at Watford General Hospital but allegedly was told he could not return home as they were short-staffed.

The grieving mum, 50, said: “I asked ‘why didn’t you come home?’ He said he had asked other staff, but they said they were short of staff and they did not let him go.”

Ms Gustilo described how she then advised her son to take paracetamol, but just minutes later, she found him unconscious and “turning blue” in his bed, Ms Gustilo said that her son did not have any underlying medical conditions.

John was treating coronavirus patients at Watford General Hospital which today declared a “critical incident” and shut their A&E department after a problem with their oxygen supplies. As of Saturday night though it is understood that the “critical incident” has ended and patients can attend Watford General as usual.

Tracey Carter, the chief nurse at Watford General Hospital, told Sun Online: “Our staff are fully briefed on the symptoms of Covid-19 and we would never expect anyone to remain at work if they were showing these symptoms or indeed were unwell in any way.”