'You are not immune': Warning to youngsters breaking Covid rules
A stark warning has been issued to young Walsall people that they are not immune from the consequences of Covid-19.
Concerns have been raised that groups of youths are still congregating in parts of the town, despite rules laid down by the Government preventing them from doing so.
It comes as health bosses revealed the total number of Walsall people who have died as a result of coronavirus is nearing the 500 mark.
At a Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting on Thursday, Councillor Stephen Craddock, the authority’s portfolio holder, urged people to report people breaching the regulations.
He highlighted the tragedy of 19-year-old Walsall wrestler Cameron Wellington, who died as a result of coronavirus last month.
And he also shared the experiences of one of his neighbours, aged in her 40s, who described her struggles with the virus.
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Councillor Craddock said: “Young people are not immune from Covid-19 and the consequences can be tragic to themselves and their families.
“Young people are also not immune from Covid-19 legislation. Groups of youths breaching the regulations should be reported the same way as any other breach.
“We hear about the effect on the elderly and those with certain medical conditions being most severe but it actually affects everybody.
“Two things that happened recently. There was a 19-year-old budding wrestler that sadly lost his life.
“And one of my neighbours is only in her early 40s. She’s very fit and has no underlying conditions.
“But she’s had the infection very badly. The symptoms were that bad she called 999 last Friday because she was struggling to breathe.
“They stabilised her at home and I texted her to see if she was OK or needed any help with shopping or prescriptions.
“She texted back and said: ‘I’m struggling to breathe. The cough is horrendous and feel like I’ve swallowed a sword in my chest.
“‘My throat is so sore and I have a splitting headache, high temperature and there isn’t any respite. I just know I’ve never felt like this before in my life.’
“The virus can affect everybody. The basic messages are still the same.”
Latest figures available showed that, as of November 20, Covid-19 had claimed the lives of 488 residents in the borough so far this year.
In more encouraging news, the number of positive cases being recorded had fallen since last month, where more than a 1,000 positive cases were recorded in just a week.
