'I’ll never be me again': Grieving son's anger and heartbreak at Government's handling of pandemic

The son and daughter-in-law of a woman who died of Covid-19 have blasted the Government for how it handled the pandemic, as the Covid Inquiry unfolds in London.

Jacqueline Lyons died after catching Covid-19 from a carer.

Jacqueline Lyons, from Doxey in Stafford, was classed as "at risk" during the pandemic, having suffered from multiple sclerosis (MS) since the age of 28, and had been sheltering at home for more than two years.

The 57-year-old's son, John Lyons, and his partner, Jayann Williams, took over as full-time carers for Jacqueline during the pandemic to limit the number of people entering her home.

However, when restrictions eased, they re-hired an external carer in December 2021, from whom Jacqueline tragically caught Covid-19.

Jacqueline was rushed to hospital less than 72 hours after catching Covid-19 and died six days later.

Now, as the Covid Inquiry asks questions over how the pandemic was handled and if the UK could have been better prepared, John and Jayann are reflecting on the impact on their family.

John and Jayann are angry about the Government's handling of the pandemic.

The inquiry was steeped in controversy before it had even officially opened, as not one of the 20 bereaved family members put forward by Covid Bereaved Families for Justice have been called to speak at the inquiry.

Jayann said: "That's just disgusting. I can't believe it. Why won't they let them speak? I'd have loved to have done something like that, but seeing those people face to face, the people responsible for making those decisions, I don't know what I'd do."

One of the couple's main concerns is how restrictions were eased concerning people who were experiencing symptoms of Covid, as well as restrictions for people classed as "at-risk".

Jayann said: "We opened up her care just before Christmas and someone would come in for an hour and a half in the morning to give her a shower and everything.

"But then as the restrictions eased and the self-isolation rules changed for anyone with symptoms, we had a carer come over who said they had a cold but that turned out to be Covid, and then Jackie tested positive.

"Boris should never have lifted restrictions around the vulnerable and should have supported independent care companies such as Jackie’s to ensure they had adequate testing available.

"They failed people who were self-isolating and vulnerable."