COVID-19: worried nurses send their young children away in bid to protect them

Best way to honour nurses' personal sacrifices is to stay at home, public is urged

Some nurses are sending their children to live with relatives in a bid to protect them from COVID-19.

Some nurses have reported sending their children away for weeks on end while they deal with the crisis.

‘I work on a COVID ward and can’t risk bringing the disease home’

One nurse said: ‘My daughter is staying with her dad, I'm working on a COVID ward. It's hard but I can't take the risk of bringing it home.’

Another nurse said: ‘My daughter had to go and live with my sister unfortunately as the risk is just too great.'

Other nurses have chosen to isolate themselves from their loved ones by moving into temporary accommodation.

• RELATED: COVID-19: nurses offered alternative housing to safeguard loved ones

Isolation nurses now face should send a powerful message to the public

The Laura Hyde Foundation, a mental health support charity for emergency services personnel, urged the public to stay at home to in recognition of the sacrifice nurses are making.

‘Rising numbers of nurses are sending their children away to live with grandparents, relatives and friends for fear of catching COVID-19 or exposing their loved ones to it,’ said the charity's chair Liam Barnes. 

‘What more powerful message could there be – than the isolation nurses now face.’

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On April 8 the RCN highlighted the painful family decisions nurses were being forced to make in a letter to Commons health and social care committee chair Jeremy Hunt on the issue of inadequate personal protective equipment supplies.

• RELATED: COVID-19: ‘promised PPE supplies are not reaching front-line staff’

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