A senior police officer who said contracting Covid-19 nearly killed him has criticised other people's "increasingly blase" attitude to lockdown, warning: "There's still people dying."
Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby has been tweeting regular updates about his condition, from the first stages of his fight against coronavirus, describing frightening episodes of breathlessness, to now embarking on a "slow and steady" recovery.
The married father-of-three, who was otherwise fit and healthy, was admitted to hospital on March 29 before spending 13 days on a ventilator.
After being discharged, nearly a month later, the serving West Midlands Police officer warned: "I'm 45, I've got no real health issues and it nearly killed me.
"My family nearly lost me."
Calling for people to look after one another, he had earlier said on Twitter: "I am v disturbed by the increasingly blase way ppl are treating the lockdown."
Repeating that warning while speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday, he said: "I can't impress enough just how concerned I am, my family are, I imagine other people in my situation might be.
"To just see - even before what the Prime Minister said, but certainly afterwards - the importance of social distancing and the vigilance we need around our cleanliness and our responsibility to look after each other is still so important."
Mr Dolby spent 26 days in the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, before he could be discharged.
He has been worried by an apparent relaxation of some people's attitudes towards the measures imposed to tackle the virus, especially after images emerged on social media at the weekend of people travelling to beaches.
Dorset Police said they had to move sunbathers off Highcliffe Beach, while photos from members of the public showed dozens of cars parked at Lepe Beach in Hampshire.
By contrast, Mr Dolby published a photo - taken from a Zoom call hospital staff arranged so his wife Mary could see him - showing himself in a coma and on a ventilator.
He said: "The reason I put that picture out and did a little bit of work on social media is not to preach to anyone, it's just a reminder to all of us to please take this seriously.
"When you see queues of cars going to the beach at the weekend, or in parks, it just worries me we're starting to relax when really nothing's changed, nothing's gone away.
"There's still people dying and we need to remain vigilant.
"My family and I have decided, whatever happens policy-wise - the lack of evidence even from the World Health Organisation around what immunity I may or may not have are really unclear.
There´s still people dying, says senior police officer who fought...
by Edmundo Rhodes (2024-07-02)
Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby has been tweeting regular updates about his condition, from the first stages of his fight against coronavirus, describing frightening episodes of breathlessness, to now embarking on a "slow and steady" recovery.
The married father-of-three, who was otherwise fit and healthy, was admitted to hospital on March 29 before spending 13 days on a ventilator.
After being discharged, nearly a month later, the serving West Midlands Police officer warned: "I'm 45, I've got no real health issues and it nearly killed me.
"My family nearly lost me."
Calling for people to look after one another, he had earlier said on Twitter: "I am v disturbed by the increasingly blase way ppl are treating the lockdown."
Repeating that warning while speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday, he said: "I can't impress enough just how concerned I am, my family are, I imagine other people in my situation might be.
"To just see - even before what the Prime Minister said, but certainly afterwards - the importance of social distancing and the vigilance we need around our cleanliness and our responsibility to look after each other is still so important."
Mr Dolby spent 26 days in the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, before he could be discharged.
He has been worried by an apparent relaxation of some people's attitudes towards the measures imposed to tackle the virus, especially after images emerged on social media at the weekend of people travelling to beaches.
Dorset Police said they had to move sunbathers off Highcliffe Beach, while photos from members of the public showed dozens of cars parked at Lepe Beach in Hampshire.
By contrast, Mr Dolby published a photo - taken from a Zoom call hospital staff arranged so his wife Mary could see him - showing himself in a coma and on a ventilator.
He said: "The reason I put that picture out and did a little bit of work on social media is not to preach to anyone, it's just a reminder to all of us to please take this seriously.
"When you see queues of cars going to the beach at the weekend, or in parks, it just worries me we're starting to relax when really nothing's changed, nothing's gone away.
"There's still people dying and we need to remain vigilant.
"My family and I have decided, whatever happens policy-wise - the lack of evidence even from the World Health Organisation around what immunity I may or may not have are really unclear.
"So we%