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Daughter of nurse who died in pandemic pours scorn on easing of lockdown rules

Don’t put nurses’ lives at risk of COVID-19, she tells public


Eyitolami Olaolorun had been a nurse for 40 years

The grieving daughter of a nurse who died after contracting COVID-19 has urged the public to ignore the prime minister's latest signals about easing lockdown, and to stay at home.

Oyinkansola Honey Iloba, whose mother Eyitolami Olaolorun died on 16 April, urged the public not to put the lives of NHS workers at further risk.

Nurses have families who want them to survive this, but people are putting them at risk

Ms Iloba said: 'Let's not be selfish in our expectations of the NHS by going out, irrespective of what Mr Johnson has said, let's not go out and think we’re immune to anything – we’re not.

'By going out you’re putting doctors’ and nurses’ lives at risk and they have families who care for them, love them and want them to survive this pandemic.’

View our COVID-19 resource centre

Prime minister Boris Johnson relaxed the 'stay home, protect the NHS, save lives' slogan in England on 10 May, replacing it with the message of 'stay alert, control the virus, save lives', attracting condemnation from the British Medical Association.

There has been no such relaxation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Eyitolami Olaolorun had been a nurse for 40 years, most recently working at the Wellington private hospital in London, where she cared for youngn people who were critically or terminally ill.

Latest deaths of nursing staff announced

She is among at least 48 nurses and 22 UK healthcare assistants who are known to have died in the pandemic.

One of the latest deaths is retired learning disability nurse Norman Campbell, who worked for 27 years at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust before becoming a learning disability commissioning manager in primary care.


Healthcare assistant Norman Austria
was caring and responsible, his
employer said

Mr Norman had COVID-19 and died on 6 May.

The trust said Mr Campbell was described by former colleagues as passionate about equal rights of people with learning disabilities.

A spokesperson said: ‘He was kind and caring, a great colleague and mentor, easy to talk to and confide in with a great and individual sense of humour.’

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust paid tribute to a ‘loving, caring and responsible’ healthcare assistant, Norman Austria, who died on 13 May after contracting COVID-19.

Chief executive Gavin Boyle said: ‘Norman epitomised the trust's values and consistently demonstrated care and compassion towards his patients.’


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